The Jordanian royal office released a statement stating that the King of Jordan, King Abdullah II, warned Blinken of the catastrophic repercussions of the Gaza War during their recent meeting.
During their conversation on Sunday, Jordan’s King Abdullah II cautioned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the “catastrophic ramifications” of the ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip and emphasized the need to put an end to the humanitarian situation, according to the royal office.
“His Majesty King Abdullah, during a meeting on Sunday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, warned of the catastrophic ramifications of the continued war on Gaza, stressing the need to end the tragic humanitarian crisis in the Strip,” the office said in a statement.
“In pushing towards an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the protection of civilians, while guaranteeing the sustainable delivery of sufficient humanitarian and relief aid” to the Palestinian enclave was another significant aspect that the monarch highlighted, according to the statement.
On Thursday, Blinken departed for the Middle East to talk about how to expeditiously increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and emphasize the need to take action to prevent Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, among other things.
According to several sources, the Deputy Head of Hamas Saleh al-Arouri was assassinated by Israel in a drone attack on the Beirut Suburb of Dahiyeh.
The Palestinian movement Hamas broke through the border and opened fire on both military personnel and civilians on October 7, launching a massive missile offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip. This led to the deaths of about 1,200 persons in Israel and the kidnapping of almost 240 more. With the stated intention of killing Hamas fighters and freeing the hostages, Israel ordered a total blockade of Gaza, conducted retaliatory strikes, and advanced into the Palestinian territory on foot. According to local officials, Israeli strikes in Gaza have resulted in almost 22,800 deaths thus far.
A compromise involving a brief ceasefire, the release of some prisoners and hostages, and the transfer of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip was negotiated by Qatar on November 24. The cease-fire ended on December 1 after being repeatedly extended.
