Amman: Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed in a meeting in Amman international efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of aid into the embattled enclave.
Safadi and Guterres said Israel must comply with the rules of international law, international humanitarian law, and the international will calling for an end to the war.
In a press conference following the meeting, Safadi said, “The holy month of Ramadan, which is the month of mercy, worship and peace is, unfortunately, for more than two million Palestinians in Gaza a month of death, suffering and humiliation as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza.
“Nothing justifies continuing to kill innocent people, and nothing justifies depriving men, women and children of the right to food and medicine,” Safadi said, adding that nearly a million Palestinians are facing famine and have reached the fifth level of the Interim Food Security Classification (IPC).
He added, “Israel violate
d international humanitarian law as well as human values, and the world was unable to tell them enough, stop… we are trying to reach a resolution in the Security Council demanding a ceasefire and the entry of aid. We urge the Security Council to send a clear message that what is happening is unacceptable and must stop.”
Safadi praised the UN’s demands for upholding the rules of international law and the UN Charter, and stopping the war and targeting innocent people.
He lauded countries’ return to help UNRWA save lives: “Every dollar given to UNRWA saves a life, and every dollar taken from it leads to a child suffering from a lack of medicine and food. We stand together and urge all our partners to continue to support UNRWA so that it can carry out its humanitarian duty.”
He stressed, “We cannot allow a group of extremists, including ministers and others in the Israeli government to complicate the future of the region, and we cannot allow them to kill everyone, while the whole world says that storming Raf
ah will lead to a massacre and a humanitarian massacre.
“The Israeli government does not listen, and they repeat their assertion that they will storm the city.”
In turn, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appreciated Jordan’s positions, the words and actions of His Majesty King Abdullah II aimed at achieving regional peace and the Kingdom’s role in hosting a large number of refugees: “The King’s words and actions confirm that he is a global advocate for peace.”
Guterres said, “I visited the camps this morning, and I praise Jordan’s support for the role played by UNRWA. You have opened your hearts and doors to everyone, especially Syrian refugees,” urging the international community to support Jordan, which hosts millions of refugees.
He lauded Jordan’s “tireless” efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, stressing, “For my part, I will continue to press for the removal of all obstacles to life-saving aid and more crossings and access points.”
Guterres added that the two-state solution is the only w
ay to address the “legitimate” ambitions of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
On northern Gaza and the potential launch of a military operation in Rafah, Safadi said, “There is famine in Gaza, and there is a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the north because Israel prevents the entry of aid and weaponises food.”
Safadi said, “Aid is available, and we are all ready to provide everything the brotherly Palestinian people in Gaza needs within days… aid is present, and work mechanisms are present, and what is absent is an Israeli decision to stop using starvation as a weapon and to stop preventing the entry of aid into Gaza.”
On Israel’s rejection of a ceasefire and Arab calls for a ceasefire, Safadi said, “Working to stop the aggression is a position that was taken from day one, and the effort has not stopped.
“It is an ongoing effort, but let’s be realistic, Jordan alone will not be able to stop this aggression, in which Israel challenges the entire world, violates international law and international
humanitarian law and continues with the aggression of voices that reject and confront it.”
He added, “There is a change in the international position regarding Israeli aggression and the starvation and killing of people and depriving them of aid.”
“We are still dealing with a reality in which Israel defies international law and challenges even its partners. Even the United States – Israel’s largest partner – urged Israel not to launch an attack on Rafah and demanded the entry of aid. But Israel also challenges the US, challenges the UN and challenges international law.”
On Israel’s collective punishment policy against Palestinians in Gaza and the responsibility of the Security Council in maintaining peace, Guterres said, “The United Nations has humanitarian institutions and works in Gaza with courage, and we have 171 employees who were killed in Gaza.
“The United Nations also has a General Assembly that has made clear decisions regarding this dispute.”
Guterres added, “The United Nations also has the Sec
urity Council, which is a victim of various pressures from the great powers that make it difficult to find consensus to end international crises.”
Source: Jordan News Agency