Madrid.. European-Jordanian talks on ways to stop the Israeli war on Gaza

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed with European officials on Friday ways to stop the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which is approaching its first year.

This came during separate meetings held by Safadi with the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, his Norwegian counterpart, Espen Barth Eide, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

This took place on the sidelines of the meeting held in the Spanish capital, Madrid, with the participation of foreign ministers and representatives of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Contact Group on the Palestinian Issue, along with Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, according to the official Jordan News Agency, Petra.

The agency said that Safadi and Borrell "discussed developments in the region, efforts made to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and the dangerous escalation in the West Bank."

They also discussed "ways to develop bilateral relations between the Kingdom and the European Union."

Safadi and Borrell stressed "the continuation of coordination, consultation and cooperation in efforts to de-escalate in the West Bank, reach an immediate and complete ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilians, and allow sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to enter all parts of the Strip."

In his meeting with his Norwegian counterpart, Safadi stressed: "The necessity of completing the prisoner exchange deal (between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian factions in Gaza), leading to a permanent ceasefire in the Strip, stopping the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, ensuring the protection of civilians, and delivering sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza."

The two sides also discussed, according to the agency, "ways to intensify efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the dangerous escalation in the West Bank."

The agency indicated that Safadi, during his meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister, reviewed "ways to end the Israeli aggression on Gaza, and intensify efforts to reach an exchange deal that leads to a ceasefire, protect civilians, and maintain the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Strip in an adequate and sustainable manner."

The indirect negotiations between Tel Aviv and Hamas have reached a critical stage, due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the war on the Strip, and his adherence to the Philadelphi (south) axes with Egypt and Netzarim (center), while Hamas demands a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the return of the displaced without restrictions.

Despite Israeli obstacles, Egypt's mediation continues alongside Qatar and the United States to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and conclude a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian factions in Gaza.

In parallel with its war on Gaza, which began on October 7, the Israeli army expanded its operations in the West Bank, and settlers escalated their attacks on Palestinians and their property, resulting in 703 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank until Friday evening, including 159 children, in addition to 5,700 wounded, and more than 10,400 detainees, according to official Palestinian institutions.

While the US-backed Israeli war on Gaza resulted in more than 136,000 Palestinian deaths and injuries, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing, amid massive destruction and famine that killed dozens of children.

Anatolia