German foreign minister in Jordan offers support for Gaza peace plan

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul arrived in Jordan on Wednesday on the first leg of a regional tour intended to lend German support to a fragile three-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

He met his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al-Safadi in Amman, and noted that Jordan was playing a very valuable, constructive and mediating role in resolving the conflict.

As a hub for humanitarian aid, Wadephul said that Jordan had made enormous efforts in recent years to help the people of Gaza. Berlin would continue to support Jordan in this effort, Wadephul said.

Before setting off, he urged both Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas not to jeopardize the Gaza peace plan, as Israel launched a wave of deadly airstrikes following an attack that killed one of its soldiers.

“All efforts must now be focused on meeting the expectations of the people in an entire region,” Wadephul said.

The minister called on Hamas to fulfil its obligations under the US-led peace plan, which requires the Palestinian extremist group to disarm and return the remains of all Israeli hostages.

Meanwhile, Wadephul appealed to Israel to exercise “military restraint to prevent renewed suffering.”

The region is at a crossroads, the minister said, expressing deep concerns over the renewed killings in Gaza.

Hamas-controlled authorities in Gaza said that over 100 people had been killed in the Israeli strikes.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it would continue to observe the ceasefire.

Besides continuing signs that Hamas has no intention to disarm, Israel is also angered by the delay to the return of the remains of hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, attacks.

While Hamas has released all living abductees, it is yet to release the remains of all dead hostages, blaming the delay on the destruction of the territory.

Germany will continue to actively participate in implementing the plan for peace in the Middle East, Wadephul said earlier.

To this end, three Foreign Office employees are to be send to support the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) in southern Israel, which is staffed by civilians and military representatives, in addition to the three staff officers already working there.

The centre is responsible for monitoring compliance with the ceasefire and providing humanitarian and logistical aid to Gazans.

Later on his tour, Wadephul is planning to hold talks in Lebanon and Syria, with the aim of helping ensure stability in both countries.

Instability and the spread of terrorism will also fuel migration, which Europeans can hardly control, the minister noted.