Jordanian king discusses developments in Gaza with US vice president

AMMAN, Jordan

Jordan's King Abdullah on Tuesday evening discussed "dangerous developments in Gaza" with US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Abdullah met with Harris in Washington, according to a statement by the Jordanian royal court.

During the meeting, the Jordanian monarch stressed "the need to step up efforts to reach a cease-fire and create a political horizon for the Palestinian issue that ends the spiral of violence in the region."

Abdullah also stressed the need to protect civilians and to prevent any steps that could lead to expelling Palestinians, whether from the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

On Sunday, Israeli public broadcaster KAN said the Israeli army approved a plan to attack Rafah, which is home to over 1.4 million people, most of them living in tents, deprived of essential services.

The Israeli army's announcement triggered concern from the UN and countries worldwide, as it could lead to catastrophic results for the Palestinians in Rafah, who have nowhere else to shelter.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, killing at least 28,473 people and injuring 68,146 others. Around 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the initial Hamas attack.

The Israeli war on Gaza has pushed 85% of the territory's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara