Jordan FM: Israel carrying out blatant aggression against Palestinian civilians

Jordan’s foreign minister offers blistering criticism of Israel’s war on Hamas, describing it as “blatant aggression” against Palestinian civilians that threatens to engulf the wider Middle East.

Ayman Safadi’s harsh assessment, alleging Israel is committing “war crimes” by besieging the Gaza Strip and cutting off food, medicine and fuel shipments, shows how strained relations have become between Israel and Jordan — which reached a peace deal in 1994.

“All of us have to speak loud and clear about the catastrophe that the Israeli war is bringing, not just on Gaza, but on the region in general,” Safadi tells the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ Manama Dialogue summit in Bahrain. “This is not a time for mincing words. This is a time to state facts as they are.”

He adds: “This is not self-defense. This is a blatant aggression, the victims of which are innocent Palestinians.”

Israel launched the war on October 7 after Hamas carried out the worst attack on civilians in the nation’s history, killing some 1,200 and abducting some 240 more.