AMMAN – Jordan’s representative to the UN Security Council, Sultan Qaisi, reaffirmed on Wednesday the Kingdom’s “full readiness” to dispatch hundreds of aid trucks to the Gaza Strip, pending the lifting of Israel’s “illegal restrictions” on the entry of humanitarian assistance.

 

Speaking during a Security Council session on developments in the Middle East, Qaisi warned that the current volume of aid reaching Gaza was “a mere drop in the ocean” compared to the urgent humanitarian needs of its population.

 

He strongly condemned Israel’s continued targeting of civilian infrastructure and places of worship, citing the recent bombing of the Latin Patriarchate Church in Gaza as a stark example.

 

Qaisi called on the Security Council to ensure Israel complies with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949.

 

He also criticised the Israeli Knesset’s vote earlier on Wednesday in favour of supporting Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley, describing the move as a further escalation of tensions.

 

Jordan, he said, supports ongoing Egyptian, Qatari and US efforts aimed at reaching a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

 

Qaisi welcomed the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of 25 countries, which called for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, respect for international law, and the rejection of forced displacement and demographic change.

 

He said Jordan values the positions of these countries, particularly their opposition to settlement expansion, their commitment to civilian protection, and their backing for sustained humanitarian access and a lasting ceasefire.

 

He reiterated that East Jerusalem remains occupied territory, stressing that Israel holds no sovereignty over the city. He reaffirmed the Hashemite custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and condemned Israeli incursions into the Al Aqsa Mosque Compound.