Jordan announces cancelation of summit with Biden

(AFP) : Jordan on Tuesday announced the cancelation of a summit involving US President Joe Biden that it was hoped would breathe new life into the Middle East peace process following major fighting between Israel and Hamas.

The summit will be held “when the decision to stop the war and put an end to these massacres has been taken,” said Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

Biden said Tuesday he was “outraged” by a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital and had told security advisers to gather more details.

Hamas has blamed Israel for the strike, while Israel says a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad Palestinian militants was responsible.

“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted,” Biden said in a statement as he headed on a visit to Israel.

He added that he had “directed my national security team to continue gathering information about what exactly happened.”

“The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy,” Biden said.

President Biden has postponed his visit to Jordan after a deadly strike on a Gaza hospital and will only go to Israel on his Middle East trip, the White House said Tuesday.

Biden decided after “consulting” with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and “in light of the days of mourning” announced by Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, who was due at the summit along with Egypt’s president, the White House said in a statement.

“The president sent his deepest condolences for the innocent lives lost in the hospital explosion in Gaza, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded,” the statement added.