Jordan, Egypt discuss Gaza ceasefire, Syria and Lebanon

By Laith Al-Jnaidi and Mohammad Sio

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed efforts to uphold the ceasefire in Gaza and developments in Syria and Lebanon during a phone call Tuesday, according to official sources.

The Royal Jordanian Court said in a statement that the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to “maintaining close coordination on regional developments, particularly the Palestinian cause.”

They reiterated support for Palestinians in securing their legitimate rights and establishing an independent sovereign state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on a two-state solution.

Abdullah and Sisi emphasized the need for intensified Arab and international efforts to solidify the Gaza ceasefire as a crucial step toward de-escalation in the region.

A statement from the Egyptian presidency said the two leaders reviewed regional developments, particularly the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, calling for its full implementation and the urgent reconstruction of the war-torn enclave.

The first six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas took hold in Gaza on Jan. 19, halting Israel’s war, which killed more than 47,500 people and left the enclave in ruins.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) 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.

The call comes ahead of King Abdullah’s scheduled visit to Washington, DC next week, where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Trump has sparked controversy with repeated suggestions to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt -- an idea both countries have firmly rejected.

-Syria and Lebanon

The Egyptian presidency also stated that Abdullah and Sisi discussed the situation in Syria, underscoring the importance of stability, territorial integrity and a comprehensive political process that includes all factions of Syrian society.

On Wednesday, Syria’s new administration appointed Ahmed al-Sharaa as president after he led anti-regime groups to remove the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

The two leaders also addressed Lebanon’s security, stressing the full implementation of the cease-fire and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, reaffirming their commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability.

Adopted on Aug. 11, 2006, the resolution called for a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel and established a demilitarized zone between the Blue Line -- the UN-designated line which set the limits for Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000 -- and the Litani River, permitting only Lebanese forces and peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the area.

A fragile cease-fire has been in place since Nov. 27, ending a period of mutual shelling between Israel and Hezbollah that began on Oct. 8, 2023 and escalated into a full-scale conflict on Sept. 23 last year.

Since the cease-fire took effect, Israel has committed at least 672 violations, killing and injuring dozens in Lebanon, including women and children.

Israel was supposed to complete the army’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26 under the ceasefire deal, but it refused and the deadline was extended to Feb. 18.