Top US diplomat speaks with Jordanian king on Gaza

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone Monday with Jordan's King Abdullah II on the situation in the Gaza Strip, according to the State Department.

They discussed "implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of hostages, and creating a pathway for security and stability in the region," spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

The call came after US President Donald Trump suggested Saturday that Jordan and Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza.

Both countries issued statements Sunday reiterating their rejection of the resettlement of Palestinians after Trump’s call to "clean out" Gaza.

Rubio "thanked Jordan for supporting the ceasefire through its integral role in providing humanitarian assistance through the Jordan Corridor," according to the statement.

Besides discussing bilateral relations, they also exchanged views on developments in Syria.

They "reaffirmed the importance that Syria not be used as a base for terrorism or pose a threat to its neighbors," Bruce added.

Trump's proposal came a week after a ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 47,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 111,000 since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.