Declaring that “every innocent life lost in Gaza is a tragedy,” US President Joe Biden welcomed Jordanian King Abdullah II to the White House on Monday for talks on how to end the months-long war and plan for what comes afterward.
The meeting with Abdullah comes as Biden administration is working to broker another pause in Israel’s war against Hamas to send humanitarian aid and supplies into the region and get hostages out. The White House faces growing criticism over the administration’s continued support for Israel in the face of rising casualties in Gaza since Hamas launched its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
“The key elements of the deal are on the table,” Biden said alongside the Jordanian king, though “there are gaps that remain.” He said the US would do “everything possible” to make an agreement happen: a pause to fighting for at least six weeks and the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Photo: Reuters
A senior US administration official on Sunday said that after weeks of shuttle diplomacy and phone conversations, a framework was essentially in place for a deal.
The official said Israeli military pressure on Hamas in Khan Younis over the last several weeks has helped bring the militant group closer to accepting an agreement.
Abdullah said Biden’s leadership was “key to addressing this conflict,” as he raised the plight of the tens of thousands of civilians killed and wounded in the fighting.
“We need a lasting ceasefire now,” the king said. “This war must end.”
Jordan and other Arab states have been highly critical of Israel’s actions and have eschewed public support for long-term planning over what happens next, saying that the fighting must end before such discussions can begin.
They have been demanding a ceasefire since mid-October last year as civilian casualties began to skyrocket.
Biden’s stance marks a subtle but notable break for the president, who has continued to oppose a permanent ceasefire. His administration has insisted that Hamas not retain political or military control over Gaza after the war — a key objective of the Israeli operation to prevent a repeat of the Oct. 7 attack that killed more than 1,200 Israelis and saw about 250 taken hostage.
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