Jordan's king calls for urgent int'l action to end Gaza suffering

By Laith al-Janidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - King Abdullah II of Jordan called on the international community on Wednesday to take urgent action to end the escalating suffering in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the necessity of de-escalation in the region.

During his meeting with Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin in the capital Amman, King Abdullah II "reaffirmed the need to step up efforts to de-escalate, in order to avoid expanding regional conflict," according to a statement from the Royal Hashemite Court.

"Catastrophic humanitarian conditions facing Gazans require immediate international action," he said.

He also slammed "extremist settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as violations of holy sites in Jerusalem."

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 34,151 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,00 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul