King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt, and President Emmanuel Macron of France emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in a joint article published in "Le Monde." They stressed that the war and the catastrophic humanitarian suffering it causes must end now.
The leaders, in an article published in Jordanian opinion newspapers, Egypt's Al-Ahram, France's Le Monde, and the American Washington Post on Monday evening, noted that a two-state solution is the only path to guarantee peace and security for all. They called for the immediate and unconditional implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2728, warning of the serious consequences of the Israeli attack on Rafah.
They underscored the necessity of protecting workers in UN and humanitarian organizations in Gaza, insisting that Israel is obligated to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the region. The leaders urged all involved parties to halt escalatory and unilateral actions, emphasizing the need to respect the historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as the role of the Jordanian Waqf under Hashemite custodianship.
The article stated: "The war in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian suffering it causes must end now. Violence, terrorism, and war cannot bring peace to the Middle East. Yet, a two-state solution will achieve this; it is the only reliable path to ensuring peace and security for all and ensuring that neither Palestinians nor Israelis have to live through the atrocities they endured since the attacks of October 7."
"Ten days ago, the UN Security Council finally assumed its responsibility by calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a critical step that must be fully implemented without further delay. We, the leaders of Egypt, France, and Jordan, in light of the unbearable human losses, call for the immediate and unconditional implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2728 and stress the urgent need to reach a permanent ceasefire in Gaza."
"We reaffirm the urgent necessity to execute the Security Council's demand for the immediate release of all hostages, and we reiterate our support for negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States regarding ceasefire, hostages, and detainees. While we urge all parties to adhere to all relevant Security Council resolutions, we warn of the serious consequences of the Israeli attack on Rafah, to which over 1.5 million Palestinian civilians have been displaced. Such an attack will only lead to more death and suffering and increase the risks and consequences of the mass forcible displacement of the population of Gaza, threatening to escalate the situation regionally."
"Our respect for all lives equally compels us to condemn all violations of international humanitarian law and its transgressions, including all acts of violence, terrorism, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as we reaffirm that the protection of civilians is a legal obligation incumbent on all parties, and a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, and any violation of this obligation is strictly prohibited."
"Palestinians in Gaza no longer face merely the threat of famine; famine has already begun. There is an urgent need for a massive increase in humanitarian aid and its distribution. This is a fundamental requirement of UN Security Council Resolution 2720 and 2728, which emphasize the urgent need to expand aid supplies. UN agencies, including UNRWA, and humanitarian actors play a crucial role in humanitarian operations in Gaza and must be protected and given full access, including to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Therefore, we condemn the killing of humanitarian support workers, including the recent attack on the 'World Central Kitchen' aid convoy."
"In accordance with international law, Israel is obliged to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population, yet it has failed to meet this responsibility. We reiterate what the Security Council has demanded regarding lifting barriers to humanitarian aid and that Israel must immediately facilitate the entry of humanitarian relief through all crossing points, including in northern Gaza and via a direct land passage from Jordan, as well as by sea."
"We, the leaders of Egypt, France, and Jordan, are determined to continue intensifying our efforts to meet the humanitarian, medical, and health needs of the civilian population in Gaza, in close coordination with the UN system and regional partners.
"Finally, we stress the urgent necessity of restoring hope for achieving peace and security for all in the region, particularly for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, and we reaffirm our commitment to continue working together to avoid further regional repercussions. We urge all actors to refrain from taking any escalatory action and emphasize the need to put an end to all unilateral measures, including settlement activities and land confiscation. We also urge Israel to prevent settler violence."
"We highlight the necessity of respecting the historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and the role of the Jordanian Waqf under Hashemite custodianship. We affirm our determination to intensify our joint efforts to effectively implement the two-state solution. The only way to achieve true peace is to establish a sovereign, independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution, in accordance with international law and the relevant Security Council resolutions, allowing both states to live side by side in peace and security. The UN Security Council must play a decisive role in reopening the path to peace."
