The Jordanian Foreign Minister expressed his concern that the worst may not yet be over in the Gaza war, as the initiatives aimed at de-escalating the crisis have not borne fruit so far.

In a press conference he gave with the head of German diplomacy, Analena Berbock, Ayman al-Safadi warned of the “catastrophic effects” of the war and emphasized that it is imperative to prevent the spread of the crisis in the wider region.

“The destruction will have painful consequences in the future,” said the Jordanian foreign minister, pointing out that diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the hostilities have not yielded results.

“The decision to end the war is not ours, it is Israel’s. We must make every possible effort to end it,” he stressed.

Ayman al-Safadi said the kingdom of Jordan would prevent “by any means possible” mass displacement of Palestinians that would lead to demographic or geographic changes in the region. “We will not accept such a solution. It is a red line and implies a new war”, he underlined.

The conflict has reignited concerns in Jordan, home to millions of Palestinian refugees, that any further escalation would give Israel the opportunity to launch a mass expulsion of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank.