World

Joe Biden Welcomes Jordan King For Talks To End Israel-Hamas War

Jordan’s King Abdullah II met with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday to discuss ending the Israel-Hamas war, as fears grow of an onslaught in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah.

Amman is a key player in the area, and the king is also visiting Canada, France, and Germany, as international pressure builds for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of captives.

Ahead of the meeting, a senior Biden administration official stated, “They will discuss efforts to produce an enduring end to the crisis”.

“A deal requires as a precondition the return of hostages held by Hamas, and then of course, looking ahead at durable long-term peace requires a formula for two states with Israel’s security guaranteed”, the
official added.

The US president and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed the Jordanian king and Queen Rania to the White House at 2:30 pm (1930 GMT), followed by remarks at 4:00 pm.

The visit comes after weeks of talks between the US and regional powers failed to reach a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The two leaders discussed a possible hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war and criticized Israel’s planned ground attacks on the Rafah

Speaking at the White House, both leaders cautioned against any indiscriminate Israeli ground incursion into Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are trapped.

The US President said, “We don’t know how many are still alive. The anguish that their families are enduring, week after week, month after month is unimaginable. And it’s a top priority for the United States to bring them home”.

Taking the lectern after Biden, the Jordanian king stated, “We cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafah. It is certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe”.

The Jordanian king went on to say, “We cannot stand by and let this continue. We need a lasting ceasefire now — this war must end”. He has repeatedly pushed for a full truce to end the war that began on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel.

The United States has infuriated several Middle East allies by consistently refusing to call for a full ceasefire, with Washington arguing that it supports Israel’s drive to destroy Hamas and asking for shorter pauses with hostage deals instead.

Also read: China Calls On Israel To Cease Military Operations In Rafah As Soon As Possible

Spriha Rai

Recent Posts

India’s Raw Silk Production Sees Growth; Employment In Sector Rises

India’s raw silk production hit 34,042 MT by January 2025, Minister of State for Textiles…

21 mins ago

Passenger Vehicle Sales In India See Marginal Growth In FY25

India’s passenger vehicle (PV) sales rose 2.6% year-on-year in FY25, impacted by a high base…

25 mins ago

India Inc Stands Firm As Trade War Threatens Export Sectors

India Inc’s credit ratio improved to 2.35 in H2 FY25, driven by domestic demand, but…

34 mins ago

UPI Transactions Surge In March; Crosses Rs 24.77 Lakh Crore

NPCI data shows UPI transactions surged to 18.3 billion in March, marking a 13.59% increase…

35 mins ago

India Expands Humanitarian Efforts In Myanmar Under Operation Brahma

The Indian Army has successfully operationalized a 200-bed field hospital in Mandalay, Myanmar, as part…

45 mins ago

SUV Sales Surge In March As Indian Automakers Report Strong Growth

Indian automobile manufacturers recorded strong sales in March, driven by increasing demand for SUVs and…

59 mins ago