Laith Al-Jnaidi
17 October 2023•Update: 17 October 2023
AMMAN, Jordan
Jordanian King Abdullah II on Tuesday warned of the possibility of the expansion of the Gaza war, saying its dangers are real and will have "dire consequences for all."
During a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, King Abdullah II said: “We must all stand by the victims of violence regardless of their nationality, identity and religion.”
He stressed that humanitarian aid must be immediately allowed to enter Gaza, adding: “The entire region is on the verge of collapse pushed by this new cycle of death and destruction.”
On Saturday, the Jordanian King started a European tour that also included a visit to France aimed at rallying international support to stop the Israeli war in Gaza.
Eleven days into the conflict with Palestinian group Hamas, Israel's bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with over one million people displaced – almost half of Gaza's total population, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The fighting began when Hamas on Oct. 7 initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased violence by Israeli settlers.
The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
At least 2,848 Palestinians, including 750 children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, while the death toll from such Israeli attacks in the West Bank has reached 60.
More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the armed conflict.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
