They made the appeal in a joint statement following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) economic leaders’ meeting, which ended in San Francisco yesterday.

“We noted with grave concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world,” they said in the statement released by the foreign affairs ministry this morning..

“We underscored that conflicts can have significant consequences for the global economy.

“We called for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.”

The three Asean nations also welcomed the 2023 Apec leaders’ Golden Gate Declaration, which reflects consensus on all economic issues of common concern, but added that they wanted to issue a further statement “to give a better and fair reflection of the discussions on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza”.

The statement said Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia had reiterated the messages of the resolution of the joint Arab Islamic extraordinary summit on Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

They underscored the need for an immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza strip.

“A just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means, based on the relevant UN resolutions – including the UN general assembly resolution A/ES-10/L.25 and UN security council resolution 2712 – and in accordance with international law, on the basis of the two-state solution, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,” the statement added.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke about the bloodbath unfolding in Gaza amid Israel’s relentless air and ground attack, when addressing the Apec summit.

Anwar has been highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Palestine since his arrival in the US earlier this week.