King Abdullah of Jordan has stated that international countries will not agree to "enforce" peace in Gaza if this is required under the ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump.
Under Trump's 20-point plan, Arab states and international partners would deploy a stabilization force that would "train and support Palestinian police in Gaza," in consultation with Jordan and Egypt, which have experience in this field. Meanwhile, Hamas would have to disarm and relinquish political control of the territory.
"The question is: what will be the mandate of the security forces in Gaza? We hope it will be peacekeeping, because if it is about 'peace enforcement', no one will want to get involved," King Abdullah said in an exclusive interview with BBC Panorama.
He added that Jordan and Egypt are willing to train Palestinian security forces, but stressed that this process takes time.
"Peacekeeping means supporting local Palestinian police, but not patrolling the streets of Gaza armed. No country would want to be involved in such a situation," he added.
The monarch's comments reflect concern in the US and other countries about the risk of being drawn into an ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, or between Hamas and other Palestinian groups.
King Abdullah also stressed that Jordan will not send troops to Gaza, as it is “very politically close” to the issue. More than half of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian origin, and the country has hosted over 2.3 million Palestinian refugees over the years — the largest number in the region.
Asked if he trusts Hamas to withdraw from the political role in Gaza, he replied:
"I don't know them personally, but those who work closely with them – Qatar and Egypt – are very optimistic that they will stick to this commitment."
"If we don't resolve this issue, if we don't find a future for Israelis and Palestinians, and a relationship between the Arab world, the Muslim world and Israel, then we are doomed," King Abdullah added.
Jordan has been part of international efforts to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and evacuate wounded and sick children. The King himself has made three flights over the territory, dropping aid by parachute.
“The view from the air was shocking,” he said. “The destruction in that part of Gaza was unbelievable. It’s incomprehensible how the international community allows this to happen.”
King Abdullah asked President Trump for help in evacuating 2,000 seriously ill Palestinian children from Gaza — an initiative that Trump called a “beautiful gesture.” So far, 253 children have been sent for treatment to Jordan, while a total of over 5,000 have been evacuated to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
According to the World Health Organization, over 15,000 Gazans are still awaiting evacuation, including about 3,000 children. The process has been described as “extremely slow” due to mandatory security checks by Israel and host countries.
The Israeli military group that oversees aid to Gaza, Cogat, states that it attaches "great importance" to humanitarian aid and facilitating medical evacuations, but emphasizes the necessity of security checks for those passing through Israeli territory.
