Jordan refuses energy and water exchange deal with Israel

Jordan has announced that it will not sign the deal that was meant to be finalized last month, which would have provided Israel with energy in exchange of water.

Jordan has said that it would not sign the agreement, which was supposed to be finalized last month, to give Israel energy in exchange for water.

Since 1994, Jordan and Israel have maintained a precarious peace deal that settled long-standing water conflicts and freed about 380 km (236 mi) of Jordan's occupied territory from Israeli rule.

Ayman Safadi, the foreign minister of Jordan, declared on Thursday that his country will never hold talks over who will govern Gaza after the war since doing so would be interpreted as giving Israel the go-ahead to carry out any actions it pleases.

Along with other Arab and Muslim nations, Jordan has harshly denounced Israel's shelling of Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 11,600 Palestinians, including over 4,700 children. Israel has also started a ground invasion and cut off the enclave's access to food, water, and electricity.

Safadi was speaking as Philippe Lazzarini, the director of UNRWA, warned of a "deliberate attempt to strangle" the organization's operations in the Gaza Strip and stated that the organization has the possibility of ceasing all humanitarian work due to a fuel shortage.

Following a devastating attack on southern Israel on October 7 by Hamas fighters from Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, Israeli authorities declared a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip and cut off fuel shipments into the region.