King Abdullah II urges hostage release and Gaza ceasefire at UN

Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, King Abdullah II of Jordan urged the release of hostages held by Hamas and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while refraining from explicitly demanding the dismantling of armed groups operating in the enclave.

The Jordanian monarch warned that the cycle of conflict risks shaping future generations. “Repeated wars are teaching generations of Israelis and Palestinians that their only recourse is the gun,” he said. He underscored that true security will only be achieved when Israel and Palestine coexist side by side.

Reiterating a longstanding regional stance, King Abdullah emphasized that the two-state solution, based on UN resolutions, remains the only viable path to peace. This framework envisions an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, living alongside a secure Israel.

He recalled that this vision has been central to the Arab Peace Initiative for nearly 25 years, highlighting that no alternative has proven capable of addressing the root causes of the conflict.

Abdullah also appealed to the moral responsibility of the international community. “The world’s conscience is stirring with the courage of ordinary people. Raising their voices as one, they declare ‘it has been too long,’” he said.

He urged the United Nations not only to echo this call but also to act upon it, stressing that peace must become more than a distant aspiration: “The UN must act on that call until peace is a reality.”

While the King’s words reiterated Jordan’s consistent position in favor of coexistence and a negotiated peace, his speech also conveyed urgency in the face of the ongoing conflict. For Abdullah II, the path to peace lies in compromise and recognition, not in perpetuating cycles of violence.