The Malaysian government has announced a ban on Israeli-owned and flagged ships, as well as vessels destined for Israel, from docking at its ports, CNN has reported.

The announcement by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim stated that the ban is a reaction to Israel’s disregard for humanitarian principles and violations of international law, citing ongoing conflict between Israel and the Islamic terror group Hamas.

“This sanction is a response to Israel’s actions that disregard the basic humanitarian principles and violate international law through the ongoing massacre and continuous cruelty against the Palestinian people,” the report quoted the statement.

Earlier in November, the Malaysian PM emphasised in a parliamentary speech that the government would maintain ties with Hamas and “would not punish” the group for its “actions” in Israel on October 7.  The Hamas killed more than 1200 people including babies and women on October 7.

Notably, Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country and does not recognise Israel.  Malaysian passports explicitly state “Valid for all countries except Israel,” and Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering the country without prior permission.