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By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Jordan's King Abdullah on Monday, the State Department said, with the call coming two days after a suggestion by President Donald Trump that Jordan and Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Trump on Saturday floated a plan to "clean out" the war-ravaged territory of Gaza in comments that echoed long-standing Palestinian fears of being permanently driven from their homes.
Jordan and Egypt had pushed back over the weekend after Trump said they should take in Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel's war has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis. Asked if this was a temporary or long-term solution for Gaza, Trump had said: "Could be either."
KEY QUOTES
"The Secretary and King Abdullah discussed implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the release of hostages, and creating a pathway for security and stability in the region," the State Department said in a statement. Trump's weekend remarks were not mentioned in the statement.
"Secretary Rubio thanked Jordan for supporting the ceasefire through its integral role in providing humanitarian assistance through the Jordan Corridor," the State Department added.
CONTEXT
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza killed over 47,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The fighting has currently paused amid a fragile ceasefire.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler and Lincoln Feast.)
