Jordan calls on US to push for ceasefire in Gaza Strip

The King of Jordan called on the US Secretary of State to push for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and end the humanitarian crisis caused by the fighting.

During a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on January 7, Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein warned of "the dire consequences of the attack on Gaza, emphasizing the need to end the tragic humanitarian crisis there."

King Abdullah II reiterated the "important role of the United States in pressing for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protecting civilians, and ensuring the delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to the region," the Jordanian royal family said.

The US has twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a move opposed by Arab states. US officials have also used emergency provisions to provide weapons and ammunition to Israel without congressional approval.

Israeli tanks and soldiers fight in the Gaza Strip on January 7. Photo: IDF — Israeli tanks and soldiers fight in the Gaza Strip on January 7. Photo: *IDF*

However, Secretary of State Blinken and other US officials have repeatedly called on Israel to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip. According to local health authorities, 22,835 people have been killed and 58,416 injured in the Gaza Strip since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in early October 2023.

King Abdullah II on January 7 reaffirmed the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue and said Jordan “completely rejects” any forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The United States also emphasized the two-state solution, which some Israeli officials disagree with.

The US secretary of state said he was deeply concerned about the situation on the Israeli-Palestinian border, where clashes between Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces are taking place almost daily. "We want to do everything we can to ensure there is no escalation there and to avoid an endless cycle of violence," Mr. Blinken said.

Mr. Blinken also visited the World Food Program's distribution center near the Jordanian capital on the same day. During the meeting, Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, a senior UN official in Jordan, described the situation in the Gaza Strip as unlike anything she had seen in the past 15 years and called it a disaster.

"It is imperative that we maximize support for those in need by receiving and distributing aid effectively," Secretary Blinken said. "We will address this in the coming days."

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP )

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