AMMAN, Jordan (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Sunday with Jordan’s king and its foreign minister.
Blinken met with King Abdullah II and Ayman Safadi seeking support for U.S. efforts to calm concern that the war could engulf the region.
He stressed the need for Israel to adjust its military operations to reduce civilian casualties and significantly boost the amount of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza.
King Abdullah II “warned of the catastrophic repercussions" of the war in Gaza while calling on the U.S. to press for an immediate cease-fire, a statement by the Royal Court said.
Jordan and other Arab states have been critical of Israel's actions and have eschewed public support for long-term planning, arguing that the fighting must end before such discussions can begin.
Blinken also toured World Food Program’s regional coordination warehouse, where trucks are being packed with aid to be delivered to Gaza through Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings.
He commended the work of WFP and other UN agencies, as well as the government of Jordan to get assistance into Gaza.
“The efforts right here to collect and distribute food to people in need are absolutely essential,” Blinken said. “The United States has worked from day one to open access routes into Gaza.”
Matthew Miller, a spokesman at U.S. Department of State, said Blinken and Jordan's king agreed to continue coordination to get sustained humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
Blinken’s meeting in Jordan followed stops in Greece and Turkey.
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