'I'm not a lackey allowing Israel to continue in Gaza with impunity,' Malaysian PM says

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended his contact with Hamas's leadership, saying he urged Hamas towards ceasefire talks with the Qataris, Egyptians and Americans. Anwar said he was "not a lackey of some other countries to condemn them and then silent on Israel and allowing Israel to continue with impunity." He also criticised Western double standards over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more broadly and rejected claims that the crisis in Gaza started on October 7, 2023.