(MENAFN) On Monday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that US President Joe Biden and Jordan’s King Abdullah II engaged in discussions regarding the current situation in the Gaza Strip.
"They discussed the strong partnership between the US and Jordan. They also spoke about the situation in Gaza, of course, including efforts to secure the hostage deal and to get more humanitarian assistance to the civilians of Gaza," Kirby informed journalists.
Additionally, Kirby noted that President Biden hosted King Abdullah II for lunch at the White House.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced on Monday evening that it had agreed to a proposed cease-fire in Gaza, put forward by Qatar and Egypt. However, Israel countered this by stating that the terms of the truce accepted by Hamas did not address its essential demands.
Israel's war cabinet opted to proceed with an operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah “in order to apply military pressure on Hamas with the goal of making progress on freeing the hostages and the other war aims.”
Early Monday, the Israeli military issued immediate evacuation orders for Palestinians residing in the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah, instructing them to relocate to the town of al-Mawasi in southern Gaza.
Rafah is home to over 1.5 million displaced Palestinians who sought refuge from the conflict instigated by Israel following an attack by Hamas on October 7 last year, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 individuals.
Since then, the Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of more than 34,700 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
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