Top US diplomat, Jordan's king discuss Gaza

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met Monday in Washington, DC to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including the situation in the Gaza Strip.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement that they also exchanged views on developments in the West Bank and Syria.

Rubio emphasized the US’s interest in working together on counterterrorism and expressed his appreciation for Jordan’s cooperation in advancing regional security, stability and prosperity, Bruce added.

According to the press office of Jordan's king, he called for an "immediate ceasefire and resuming aid flow" to the Gaza Strip.

Regarding escalations in the West Bank, the king warned of the "dangers of unilateral measures" against the Palestinians and violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

King Abdullah also stressed the importance of creating a political horizon to achieve a "just and comprehensive peace" on the basis of the two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.

More than 52,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza during Israel's indiscriminate offensive since October 2023 when the Palestinian group Hamas launched a cross-border raid on Israel.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November 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.