Jordan, Iran discuss Gaza cease-fire efforts, Israeli aggression in West Bank

By Laith Al-Jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Friday discussed the Gaza cease-fire efforts and the Israeli escalation in the occupied northern West Bank.

According to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, both top diplomats spoke over the phone and discussed the regional developments, including the Israeli war on Gaza and the risky Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank.

The statement quoted Safadi as stressing that halting Israeli aggression on Gaza is the first step in preventing the spread of an "all-out regional war."

Beside the Israeli devastating war on Gaza, the Israeli army on Wednesday started a major military operation in the northern occupied West Bank that has so far killed 20 Palestinians, and left unprecedented scale of destruction.

Iran and the Palestinian Hamas group have accused Israel of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination on July 31, while Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied responsibility.

Israel has continued its offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in over 40,600 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,800 injuries, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar