Amman, March 24 (Petra) -- Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi said on Monday that Jordan's efforts to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza and the unlawful actions targeting the occupied West Bank have not stopped.

During a briefing to lawmakers, Safadi stated, "Israel has breached the [prisoner] exchange agreement established with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and the US, resuming hostilities in Gaza after halting the entry of humanitarian and medical aid since the beginning of this month. This constitutes a clear violation of the agreement."

He added that the agreement included the formation of a joint Egyptian-Qatari operations room to monitor compliance, which has recorded over 900 Israeli violations of the truce in the past 40-50 days.

The violations, he explained, included military actions that led to the deaths of more than 70 Gazans and the blockade of vital supplies such as tents and caravans essential for sheltering displaced persons in Gaza.

"Since Israel has destroyed more than 70% of Gaza's infrastructure, including homes, schools, streets and places of worship, it has also cut off electricity ro Gaza, which is suffering from water water shortage due to Israel's targeting of water stations," Safadi said.

He said, "Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II, is committed to pressing Israel to cease its aggression against Gaza and allow humanitarian assistance."

"Failing to permit the entry of humanitarian aid is not only a breach of the exchange agreement but also a stark violation of international law," he added, condemning the use of food and medicine as weapons as a war crime.

Safadi elaborated on Jordan's comprehensive diplomatic efforts, which encompass influential decision-making centres worldwide and highlighted the unified Arab-Islamic initiative aimed at halting the aggression on Gaza.

He reported on a recent meeting in Cairo with the Arab-Islamic Committee, designated by the Arab-Islamic Summit to work on the issue.

The committee presented the Egyptian initiative, endorsed at the foreign ministers' level by both the Arab Summit and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as evidence of the Arab world's capacity to support the rebuilding of Gaza without displacing its residents.

On displacement, Safadi reaffirmed Jordan's firm position against it, noting that His Majesty the King has emphasised this stance repeatedly.

"Our policy consistently aims to inform the world of our rejection of displacement and to outline the severe regional risks it poses to security and stability," he asserted.

He stated that the priority remains to empower the Palestinian people to stay on their land, criticising systematic Israeli efforts to force Palestinians from their homeland. He explained, "Forced displacement is not merely about forcibly moving people but creating conditions that make life unsustainable, which is precisely what is happening."

Jordan is actively engaged with the US, the EU and various countries on the issue, encapsulated within a joint Arab-Islamic framework.

According to Safadi, the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza plans to intensify outreach to influential capitals in the coming days and weeks to shed light on Israel's violations and urge a cessation of hostilities, while reinforcing the commitments outlined in the exchange agreement.

"The primary objective now is to halt the aggression, which can be achieved by revisiting the agreements established with mediation guarantees," he stressed, noting that Israel remains non-compliant and continues to escalate tensions regionally.

He highlighted the ongoing violence in Lebanon, the escalating situation in the occupied West Bank and Israel's "unwarranted" actions in Syrian territory, noting the Syrian government's pursuit of building its nation under the 1974 agreement.

Safadi concluded by reaffirming Jordan's unwavering commitment to stopping the aggression against Gaza, facilitating humanitarian aid and pursuing a credible path toward fulfilling the Palestinian people's right to statehood an essential step to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.

He acknowledged the severe implications of the current situation while reaffirming ongoing efforts to protect Jordan’s national interests amid regional upheaval.

"Though we face a complex and perilous phase, we remain dedicated to supporting the Palestinian people's rights to freedom and sovereignty," he said, emphasizing that intensified Arab and Islamic cooperation is forthcoming in the fight against this aggression.

//Petra// AK

24/03/2025 16:39:05