Jordan has announced plans to host an international emergency conference on humanitarian response in Gaza on June 11.
This comes amid severe suffering in the region due to the ongoing Israeli offensive that began in October.
The situation has been further complicated by difficulties in delivering aid following Israel’s invasion of the Palestinian city of Rafah and control over the border crossing with Egypt.
The Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan stated that the conference will be jointly organized by the United Nations, Jordan, and Egypt.
The event is being convened at the invitation of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The conference will see participation from heads of state, government leaders, and representatives from international humanitarian and relief organizations.
Its primary objective is to enhance the international community’s response to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
The event, to be held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center on the Dead Sea shore, aims to establish effective mechanisms and logistical steps for response, and to ensure a coordinated international effort to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Earlier on Friday, the United Nations reported that the humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza was not reaching the population, accusing Israeli authorities of failing to meet their legal obligations.
According to Axios, the United States is planning a meeting next week in Cairo with Egyptian and Israeli officials to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing and a plan to secure the Egypt-Gaza border.
On May 7, the Israeli military announced control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. The Gaza Border Authority confirmed a complete halt in the movement of travelers and aid into the region.
The Rafah crossing is vital for delivering humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza who are in dire need.
The UN regularly warns of the risk of famine in the tightly besieged Palestinian enclave, where aid arrives very slowly.
The conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7 when Hamas launched a surprise attack on villages and towns in southern Israel, resulting in 1,189 deaths according to the latest official Israeli figures.
During the attack, 252 hostages were taken to Gaza. A ceasefire in November allowed the release of about 100 hostages, but 121 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, with 37 confirmed dead according to the Israeli military.
Israel has vowed to “eradicate” Hamas, launching a devastating bombing campaign and ground operations in Gaza, resulting in over 36,000 casualties, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian authorities.
The conflict has caused massive destruction, displacing the majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents and creating a major humanitarian crisis.
