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AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah has sent a cable of condolences to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, over the passing of Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, after a life marked by major cultural and literary contributions, according to a Royal Court statement.

AMMAN — The SADAQA organisation, in collaboration with Sumud, an initiative to support families in Gaza, hosted on Wednesday a dialogue session that brought together Jordanian doctors, who have recently returned from the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Participants in the session titled, "Doctors on the Frontline: The Role of Women Leaders in Confronting the Genocidal War on Gaza," shared their stories during their time in Gaza.

Jordanian doctors Asil Jallad, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care physician participated in the session and were joined via Zoom by Sara Al-Saqqa, a general surgeon, and Nada Fleifel from Gaza. 

Jallad recalled her experience as the first Jordanian and Arab doctor in Gaza, emphasizing the pivotal role of female doctors in providing medical care during the conflict and highlighting the specific challenges faced by women in Gaza.

"We have forgotten that there is a life," Jallad said.

She also spoke about the "dire" living conditions of displaced Palestinians within the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where tiny tents accommodate entire families, with only one bathroom serving up to 40 tents. 

Lamenting the difficult conditions of women in Gaza, Jallad explained that the ongoing Israeli war against the strip has deprived pregnant women of the basic healthcare, including regular check-ups, proper nutrition, access to medication and vitamins, and a stress-free environment.

 “Pregnant women with critically low hemoglobin levels struggle to even have one meal a day,” she said. 

Haj-Hassan underscored the importance of the medical sector in sustaining life in Gaza and condemned the targeting of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli occupying forces.

Al Shifa hospital, the largest medical complex in Gaza, was placed under siege by Israel in November last year and was again attacked by Israeli forces in April.  

Saqqa shared her firsthand experiences of working in Al Shifa Hospital during Israeli bombardments and the evacuation and displacement towards the south and highlighted the dire state of the healthcare sector in Gaza.

“The healthcare system in Gaza has completely collapsed and people there depend entirely on field hospitals and primary care centers,” she said. 

“There are no hospitals, no doctors, the Israeli forces either arrest them, or kill them or after seven months, they can’t find anything to eat, drink, or take care of themselves so they die,” she said. 

Fleifel from Gaza discussed the role of medical points in providing medical care to displaced persons and residents of Gaza, emphasising the voluntary efforts of workers, particularly women, in the medical sector, mainly in coordinating relief efforts on the ground. 

SADAQA Organisation, in partnership with the Sumud initiative, unveiled its intention to establish a nursery in one of the neighborhoods that Sumud will rebuild in Gaza.

AMMAN — Jordan's population is expected to reach 12.5 million by the end of 2028, according to Secretary-General of the Higher Population Council (HPC) Issa Masarwah.

Masarwah participated in the meetings of the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, held in New York from April 29 to May 3, according to Al Mamlaka TV.

The session evaluated the status of implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and its contribution to the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Submitting a working paper at the session, Masarwah said that Jordan's population doubled in less than 20 years, rising from 6 million in the last two decades to over 11.6 million, with the number likely to reach 12.5 million by the end of 2028.

Masarwah attributed the "rapid" population growth to conflicts in the region and the resulting waves of refugees as non-Jordanians account for more than 31 per cent of the total population.

He said that Jordan bears the consequences of the Syrian refugee crisis amid a significant decline in international support on one hand and the challenges facing the Jordanian economy on the other.

Masarwah emphasised that despite these major challenges, and with the Syrian crisis entering its 13th year, Jordan continues to provide services to refugees and remains committed to supporting UNRWA.

He called for continued international support for Jordan to deal with the challenges arising from conflicts in the region and climate change to enable it to continue its role as a factor of security and stability in the region and ensure that no one is left behind in the development process.

Regarding child marriages, he pointed out that inputs from the National Plan to combat this practice for the years 2022-2024 have contributed to reducing the percentage of underage marriages from 14.6 per cent in 2018 to 11.9 per cent in 2022, out of the total number of marriages for the first time.

AMMAN — Local farm-stay accommodations and chalets have witnessed a noticeable decline in reservations despite the start of the high season, according to a stakeholder.

As the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip intensifies, casting a pall over the public mood, businesses in the sector are grappling with many challenges, including decreasing demand,  declining consumer base, and escalating operating costs, several stakeholders recently told The Jordan Times.

Nassar Tahseen, an owner of multiple farms, said that the summer months, starting from May to September, typically mark the peak season for most farms and chalets, noting a decline of approximately 25 per cent in his farm's reservations since the beginning of 2024 compared with the previous year.

Despite the current downturn, Tahseen anticipated a surge in bookings towards the end of June or the beginning of July.

Shaher Hamdan, head of the Family Tourism Association (Diyafa), attributed the decline in bookings primarily to the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza and the challenging living conditions faced by people. 

Hamdan also pointed out that the ongoing circumstances have led to a decrease in the influx of foreign tourists, thereby adversely affecting reservations.

AMMAN — On behalf of His Majesty King Abdullah, Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs Ibrahim Jazi on Saturday attended the opening session of the 15th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held in Banjul, Gambia.

Jazi emphasised the significance of the summit’s theme, “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” noting that discussions on sustainable development in the region must include a commitment to end the ongoing  Israeli aggression against Palestinians.

The minister also urged for intensified efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for dialogue to put the region on the path of just and comprehensive peace, highlighting the importance of following up on the resolutions of the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which took place in Riyadh last November and commended the work of the Ministerial Committee established by the Summit.

Jazi called upon the international community to reject double standards and selectivity in the enforcement of international legal and ethical standards, emphasising the need to protect Palestinians from the crimes committed by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem.

He also warned that any Israeli attack on Rafah could trigger a humanitarian disaster and further complicate the situation. 

Jazi also underscored Jordan’s efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem from daily Israeli violations, reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to continue these efforts under the Hashemite Custodianship.

Jazi also urged the international community to ensure swift and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. 

He also reiterated Jordan’s unwavering commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people through various channels, including the significant contributions of Jordanian field hospitals in Gaza and medical facilities in Nablus, Jenin, and Ramallah.

He also reaffirmed Jordan’s support for the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), highlighting the agency’s critical role in assisting over two million Palestinians affected by the humanitarian crisis resulting from Israeli aggression in Gaza.

Jazi urged for continued international support for UNRWA to enable it to effectively fulfil its mandate, calling on countries that have suspended their support to UNRWA to reconsider their decision. 

He also emphasised the agency’s crucial role in providing essential services to millions of Palestinians facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza, noting that the urgency of this matter was underscored by the findings of the report of the UNRWA Independent Audit Committee.

Jazi highlighted the ongoing impact of the absence of a political solution to the occupation in the region,  stressing the need for a comprehensive approach to regional security, which includes resolving the Palestinian issue through the recognition of the full membership of the Palestinian State in the United Nations. 

He also called for a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, emphasising that ending the occupation and establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in occupied Jerusalem on the 4 June 1967 lines are essential for achieving lasting security, peace, development, and prosperity in the region.

AMMAN — Jordanians took to the streets across the Kingdom on Friday to express solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and condemn the violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip

The participants in the marches called on Arab countries and human rights organisations around the world to intervene and stand against the aggression on the besieged Strip, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

They also urged the international community, the UN Security Council, and relevant international organisations to shoulder their responsibilities to stop the aggression, which constitutes a violation of humanitarian laws and a blatant attack on innocent civilians.

The participants praised the steadfastness of the people of Gaza and Palestine in facing the genocide, condemning the international silence that ignores the ongoing massacres committed by Israel against innocent Palestinian civilians, and the double standards policy in dealing with the Israeli war on Gaza and its consequences.

The participants in the marches praised the role played by Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, in supporting and advocating for the people of Gaza and the West Bank to stop the aggression and prevent Israeli attacks and practices against the Palestinian people, and to defend the Palestinian cause.

AMMAN — High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Friday the attack by Israeli settlers on a Jordanian aid convoy destined for the Gaza Strip.

 “I strongly condemn the attack on the Jordanian convoy delivering aid to Gaza and express my solidarity with Jordan. It is despicable that individuals who are not in need obstruct the delivery of food to those who are. Israel must ensure the safe passage of aid,” he said on X.

The aid convoys, organised by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, in cooperation with Tkiyet Um Ali, the World Food Programme, the UK-based Human Appeal organisation, the South Africa-based Gift of the Givers organisation, and the US-based International Medical Corps, were attacked while en route to the Beit Hanoun and Karam Abu Salem crossings early Wednesday.

One of the convoys was set to enter Gaza via the Karam Abu Salem border crossing, while the other was supposed to enter Gaza via the Beit Hanoun crossing.

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Friday met with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot in Amsterdam over efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire, stop the Israeli attack on Rafah, provide adequate aid into the Gaza Strip, and prevent the war from spreading regionally.

Safadi underscored the imperative for a coordinated international response to end the humanitarian crisis, calling for unhindered operations of UN organisations to receive and distribute assistance, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The foreign minister also highlighted the need for collective efforts to establish a just and comprehensive resolution to the conflict, advocating for the two-state solution as the only path to lasting peace and stability.

The two ministers reaffirmed their continued cooperation and consultation in pursuit of a ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and a just and comprehensive peace.

Safadi also commended the Netherlands’ supportive stance towards a two-state solution and underscored the importance of the ongoing cooperation between the two nations in providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Safadi and Slot also reviewed the "deep-rooted" relations between Amman and Amsterdam, expressing their mutual aspiration to strengthen ties across various sectors.