UAE and Cyprus call for de-escalation in region

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed in a phone call today with Dr Constantinos Kombos Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, the current dangerous developments in the Middle East and their humanitarian and security repercussions.

Sheikh Abdullah and Kombos tackled ways to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, emphasising the urgent need to provide necessary humanitarian support to the residents of the Gaza Strip, ensure the protection of all civilians, and put an end to the escalating extremism, tension, and violence in the region.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasised the need for all regional and international efforts to push for a ceasefire and work closely to address the humanitarian crisis and end the tragic conditions suffered by civilians in Gaza.

They also discussed a number of issues related to the friendship and strategic partnership relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah of Jordan has called for exerting the utmost efforts to de-escalate the situation in the region and reach comprehensive calm, in order to prevent a full-out regional war.

He said this during a meeting with a delegation of US congressional aides in Amman, that covered current regional developments and means to bolster the strategic partnership between Jordan and US.

A child is treated for his injuries sustained in Israeli bombardment in Gaza. AFP

Jordan News Agency (Petra) quoted a royal court statement, which stated that the King warned that the region will remain vulnerable to an expansion of the conflict that threatens its stability, as long as the war on Gaza continues, which demands stepping up international efforts to stop the war by reaching an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

He reiterated that Jordan will not be a battleground for any party, and will not tolerate any threats to the lives of its people.

The King warned of the dangers of extremist settler attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as violations of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

King Abdullah reaffirmed the importance of creating a political horizon to achieve just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which is the only way to guarantee the security of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and the entire region.

The King called for maintaining support for UNRWA to enable it to continue undertaking its UN mandate to provide humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the region.

US has said that it was concerned about the reports of civilian casualties.

"Yet again, far too many civilians have been killed," US Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters.

Kamala Harris speaks during an event. File photo

"We need a hostage deal and we need a cease-fire,” she said.

"The deal needs to get done and it needs to get done now.”

The Israeli military ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza early on Sunday, a day after a deadly airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the north killed nearly 100 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.

The vast majority of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times, in the besieged territory 40 kilometres long by about 11 kilometres wide.

The latest evacuation orders apply to areas of Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city, including part of an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone from which the military said that rockets had been fired. Israel accuses Hamas and other groups of hiding among civilians and launching attacks from residential areas.

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), reported on Sunday that over 75,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the southwestern region of Gaza in recent days.

In a post on X, Lazzarini stated that the mass displacement of the Palestinian people continues unabated.

He further explained that recent events have forced over 75,000 people to flee their homes in southwestern Gaza, adding that additional Israeli evacuation orders were issued last night, compelling even more residents to relocate.

He pointed out that these newly displaced individuals are seeking refuge in overcrowded shelters without specific destinations, having lost everything and requiring all forms of assistance.

Agencies