AMMAN, Feb 2 — Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned of a potential explosion in the region due to an “Israeli escalation” in the West Bank and Jerusalem, emphasising the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The warning came during a phone call received by the Jordanian monarch from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau yesterday, reported Anadolu Agency, citing a statement from the Royal Hashemite Court.
The statement said King Abdullah emphasised “the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the protection of unarmed civilians.”
His Majesty stressed the need for stepping up efforts to guarantee the delivery of sufficient and sustainable humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza, expressing appreciation for Canada’s efforts in delivering aid to the blockaded enclave.
King Abdullah reaffirmed “the important role of UNRWA in providing relief to over two million Palestinians in Gaza, which requires maintaining support for the agency to enable it to continue providing its vital services in accordance with its United Nations (UN) mandate,” said the statement.
His Majesty reiterated the need to create a political horizon for the Palestinian issue to reach a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, stressing that there can be no stability in the region without a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As of January 30, 18 countries and the European Union decided to suspend their funding for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, based on Israel’s allegations that 12 of the agency’s employees participated in an attack on Israel October 7, 2023.
Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 27,019 Palestinians and injuring 66,139.
The Israeli offensive has left 85 per cent of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 per cent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
— Bernama
