Thousands of Malaysians rallied outside the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to demand that the country take action over "Israel", amid growing criticism of US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

According to Bernama, the protesters called on the US to pressure "Israel" to both allow ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza to reach the war-torn Palestinian territory and to secure the release of those from the flotilla. 23 Malaysians were detained by "Israel" after their boats were seized.

Additionally, demonstrators called on the US president to stop Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from sabotaging the peace process.

While initially seen as a boost for both the bloc and host Malaysia and a chance to woo a leader who has imposed high tariffs on the region, Trump’s plan to join the ASEAN meetings in Kuala Lumpur angered many in Malaysia who were already concerned about the war on Gaza and were further incensed by the news of the flotilla activists' detention.

Opposition parties, officials call for banning Trump

The country’s biggest opposition party, PAS, is planning a mass rally if Trump visits, to protest US support for "Israel". Moreover, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has urged the government to rescind its invitation to Trump for being what he called a “central enabler of the genocide” by "Israel" against the Palestinians.

The youth wing of the ruling United Malays National Organization demanded a face-to-face meeting with the US leader on Thursday. “Let’s face Trump directly! Hurt them, the way they hurt all Malaysians!” Akmal Saleh, leader of UMNO's youth chapter, wrote on Facebook.

He urged the Malaysian government to cancel its invitation to Trump unless the detained activists were freed by "Israel", threatening to hold a mass rally when the US leader visits, should the government not meet those demands.

Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry later stated that it had received information confirming all detainees from the Gaza flotilla were safe, in good health, and would be deported to third countries, while also affirming the government's continued commitment to safeguarding the safety of Malaysians abroad.