Laith Al-Jnaidi
AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordan’s King Abdullah II and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for a cease-fire in Gaza and the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid, according to an official statement Wednesday.
The two leaders met at the British government headquarters in London, where King Abdullah arrived on Tuesday for an official visit of unspecified length, said the Jordanian Royal Court.
In a joint statement, Abdullah and Starmer “reiterated the need for an immediate cease-fire, calling for mobilizing effective efforts towards de-escalation, and stepping up the humanitarian response in Gaza by maximizing humanitarian aid and ensuring its uninterrupted flow.”
They warned that the Israeli decision to ban the activities of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) “will exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”
On Oct. 28, Israel banned UNRWA activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, accusing agency employees of complicity in last year’s Hamas attack. The UNRWA denied the allegations, reaffirming its neutrality and exclusive focus on refugee aid, and noted that no other organization could effectively fulfill its role.
Additionally, Abdullah and Starmer voiced concern over “the dangerous situation in the West Bank," noting that more needs to be done to end violence there.
King Abdullah further cautioned that “the continued failure to end the war on Gaza and Lebanon threatens to expand the conflict and fuel violence across the region.”
Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 43,400 people, mostly women and children, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.
As the conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, more than 3,050 people have been killed and nearly 13,700 others injured since last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Despite international warnings that the Middle East region is on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio