King Abdullah II of Jordan issued a stern warning about the potential consequences of an Israeli attack on Rafah, during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday.
The King highlighted the grave risk of a “new massacre” in the city, which has become a refuge for over 1.5 million Palestinians displaced by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
This meeting coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that his war cabinet has decided to continue operations in Rafah, despite Hamas’s agreement to a ceasefire proposal mediated by international parties.
The Royal Hashemite Court released a statement in which King Abdullah stressed the immediate need for international intervention to prevent a catastrophe in Gaza due to the Israeli offensive.
“The attack on Rafah, now home to approximately 1.5 million displaced Palestinians, threatens to cause a new massacre,” the King said, noting that “the repercussions of an Israeli incursion into Rafah could lead to an escalation of the conflict in the region.”
Furthermore, King Abdullah and President Biden reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a “sustainable ceasefire in Gaza” during their discussion. They emphasized the importance of facilitating and sustaining the delivery of humanitarian aid to the region amidst urgent need.
Both leaders also highlighted the necessity of preventing an escalation of conflict in the Middle East and committed to pursuing a just and lasting peace, according to the statement.
A Jordanian diplomat described the meeting as “special and informal,” rather than a formal bilateral engagement, to Reuters.
In a related development, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused Netanyahu of jeopardizing the ceasefire agreement with his decision to bomb Rafah. Safadi expressed his concerns on the social media platform X, stating, “Enormous efforts were made to reach an exchange agreement that would release detainees and establish a ceasefire.
Hamas has made an offer. If Netanyahu truly wants to reach an agreement, he should seriously negotiate this offer. Instead, he is risking undermining the agreement.”
