King reiterates need for lasting truce that leads to Gaza ceasefire

Amman: His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tuesday reiterated the need to step up efforts towards a lasting truce that leads to a ceasefire in Gaza. During a meeting with a US congressional delegation headed by Senator Chris Coons, His Majesty warned of the repercussions of the continued war on Gaza, which will be catastrophic for the entire region. According to a royal court statement, The King also warned against the suspension of international funding for UNRWA, which is a lifeline for nearly 2 million Palestinians facing starvation in Gaza, especially with the fasting month of Ramadan approaching, in addition to the vital services it provides for Palestinian refugees elsewhere in the region. His Majesty noted the dangerous consequences of an Israeli attack on Rafah, where nearly 1.5 million displaced people have taken shelter as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. The King stressed the need to protect innocent civilians and to guarantee the delivery of sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid. Moreov er, His Majesty warned against extremist Israeli settler violence against the Palestinians and violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, reiterating Jordan's rejection of any attempts to displace the Palestinians internally or outside Gaza. The King highlighted the United States' important role in creating a political horizon to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan and US Ambassador to Jordan Yael Lempert attended the meeting. Source: Jordan News Agency