Israeli-flagged cargo ships have been banned from docking at Malaysian ports in response to Israel's actions in Gaza, which Kuala Lumpur says ignores "basic humanitarian principles."

Ships on their way to Israel will also be barred from loading cargo at any port in the largely Muslim Southeast Asian nation with immediate effect, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement.

Anwar singled out Israel's biggest shipping firm ZIM.

Malaysia's cabinet authorized ZIM to dock its vessels at Malaysian ports in 2002 but Wednesday's statement said that authorization had been rescinded.

"The Malaysian government decided to block and disallow the Israeli-based shipping company ZIM from docking at any Malaysian port," Anwar said.

"These sanctions are a response to Israel's actions that ignore basic humanitarian principles and violate international law through the ongoing massacre and brutality against Palestinians."

Malaysia "also decided to no longer accept ships using the Israeli flag to dock in the country" and ban "any ship on its way to Israel from loading cargo in Malaysian ports."

Anwar said Malaysia was confident its trade would not be affected by the decision.

Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

More than 19,660 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed and over 52,580 injured in the Israeli onslaught, according to Gaza's health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, while over 130 hostages are still held by the Palestinian group in Gaza, according to official figures.

International pressure is mounting for a new truce that could ramp up aid to the enclave, with the United Nations due to vote Wednesday on calling for a cease-fire.