He said the allocation was in addition to a grant two years ago for Gaza reconstruction efforts. “This is just the beginning,” he told a crowd of thousands who attended a solidarity rally for Gaza held at Dataran Merdeka.

The prime minister urged large companies in Malaysia to also provide aid for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Anwar condemned Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his regime of being “truly insane” and cruel in withholding food supplies and aid to the people of Gaza.

Such actions “are not those of humans, these are animals”, he said. “They even maintain that all the little children (in Gaza) are Hamas… even a two-year-old child running around is accused of being Hamas. This is sick,” he said.

He said the violence against children, women, hospitals and schools in Gaza and various forms of oppression showed that Israel was willing to use starvation and restrictions on humanitarian aid as weapons of war.

“I am already 78, but I have never seen, read or heard in this era of people so cruel,” he said.

He urged Muslims and the international community to persevere in exerting pressure on Israel to end its atrocities against the Palestinian people. “We must continue to take steps forward. Do not feel burdened to move ahead. Yes, it is exhausting, sometimes disappointing, sometimes it feels hopeless… believe in Allah’s help,” he said.

Anwar also urged Malaysians to uphold national unity and reject division to build a prosperous country that could serve as an example to the world.

“With unity, we can speak out and do something that other countries rarely do. Don’t let the seeds of division destroy the nation and the country,” he said.

He also called on young people to rise up to defend the country so that it continues to be independent, progressive and able to help oppressed people, including in Gaza.

To the people of Gaza, he said: “Malaysia will not leave you alone.”