Blinken thanks Jordan for coordinating joint aid airdrop to Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi in a call today for the close partnership between the two countries “in coordinating joint US-Jordan airdrops to Gaza to provide life-saving humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.”

The US made its second airdrop of aid into Gaza yesterday in a joint operation with Jordan, Egypt, and France.

According to State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Blinken “emphasized that it is critical significant amounts of additional humanitarian assistance be delivered” to Gaza.

Blinken and Safadi also discussed “efforts to secure an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks as part of a deal that would release hostages and surge humanitarian assistance,” Miller says.

Blinken also “underscored the need to preserve the historic status quo” at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Temple Mount site and “recognized the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s special role with respect to the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.”