LIVE: Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah Hold a News Conference

good afternoon let me start by welcoming his majesty the King of Jordan he's been a good friend dul welcome back to the White House man welcome back and by the way Brock's looking at you in the corner over there along with Queen Queen Rihanna who is a meeting with Jill now and the queen and the Crown Prince where is the prince out here I thought he was coming out any rate we've known each other for many years and His Majesty has been a good friend all those years a steadfast partner alongside the queen and a beloved leader to their people the partnership between the United States and our Ally Jordan is strong and it is enduring today The King and I discuss with our senior for foreign policy staffs what the issue this front and center in the Middle East and well beyond the war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas over four months ago on October the 7th Hamas attacked Israel in an act of sheer evil massacring more than 1,200 innocent women men and children the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust more than 250 hostages were taken 134 are still being held hostage by Hamas we don't know how many are still alive the anguish that their families are enduring week after week month after month is unimaginable and it's a top priority for the United States to bring them home I've made clear the United States shares the goal of seeing Hamas defeated and ensuring long-term security for Israel and its people after October 7th attacks Hamas retreat treated back in Gaza where its leaders live in underground tunnels stretching for over 100 miles beneath civilian infrastructure including including schools playgrounds and neighborhoods the past four months as the war has raged the Palestinian people have also suffered unimaginable pain and loss too many too many of the over 27,000 Palestinians killed in this conflict have been innocent civilians and children including thousand thousands of children and hundreds of thousands have no access to food water or other basic Services many families have lost not just one but many relatives cannot mourn for them or even bury them because they not safe to do so it's heartbreaking every innocent life in Gaza is a tragedy just as every innocent life lost in Israel is a tragedy as well we pray for those lives taken both Israeli and Palestinian and For The Grieving families Left Behind not only do we pray for peace we're actively working for peace security and dignity for both the Palestinian people and the Israeli people and I'm working on this day and night with the King and others in the region to find the means to bring all these hostages home to ease the humanitarian crisis and to end the terror threat and to bring peace to Gaza and isra enduring peace with the two-state solution for two peoples as The King and I discussed today the United States is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas which would bring an immediate and sustained period of common to Gaza for at least 6 weeks which we could then take the time to build something more enduring over the past month I've had calls with prime minister Netanyahu as well as the leaders of of Egypt and cutter to push this forward the key element of the deals are on the table there gaps that remain but I've encouraged Israeli leaders to keep working to achieve the deal the United States will do everything possible to make it happen The King and I also discuss the situation in Rafa as I said yesterday our military operation of Rafa they're the major military operation Raa should not proceed without a credible plan a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support of more than 1 million people Sheltering there many people there have been displaced displaced multiple times fleeing the violence to the north and now they're packed into Rafa exposed and vulnerable they need to be protected and we've also been clear from the start we oppose any forc displacement of Palestinians from Gaza today The King and I also discussed in detail how to get more humanit intering Aid into Gaza from the very beginning my team and I have relentlessly worked to get more Aid in I urge Congress for months to make sure that our nation's support for Israel and also includes urgently needed aid for innocent Palestinians and I've spoken repeatedly with Partners across the region including the king to help facilitate the flow of such Aid into Gaza as much as possible and then to actually get to the people that are that are needed we work to get the Rafa Crossing open we work to get Kareem Shalom open and we insist that we remain it remain open both remain open we're working to open other routs as well and we're also working relentlessly to make sure Aid workers can get the aid where it's needed once it gets through I want to recognize Jordan and the King specifically for all he has done to provide humanitarian Aid to Gaza including just a few days ago he personally got in a plan help conduct an airdrop of urgently needed medical supplies in Gaza I understand that two of his children have also join those air drops they help fly humanitarian supplies in and for years the queen has been passionate a passionate advocate for the Palestinian people particularly women and children your family's leadership your majesty and humanitarian commitment are commendable and at the same time we're working to create the conditions for a lasting peace as we told talked a lot about upstairs with Israeli security guaranteed and Palestinian aspirations for their own State fulfilled I say this as a long lifelong support of Israel that's the only path that guarantees Israel's security for the long term to achieve it Palestinians must also seize the opportunity as it discussed with the King today the Palestinian Authority must re urgently reform so it can effectively deliver to the Palestinian people in both the West bank and Gaza once hamas's control of Gaza is over they must prepare to build a state that accepts peace does not Harbor terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad and together we will keep working to complete what is we started to integrate the region to bring about peace between Israel and all its Arab neighbors including the Palestinian state that effort was already underway before October 7th attacks it's even more urgent today no one no one understands better than our allies and partners in the region including the king what we need I'm grateful to them for his friendship including his and Jordan's unique role unique role a custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem we're grateful for this friendship we saw that again just two weeks ago when three Brave American servicemen were killed in an attack at a military Outpost in Jordan close cl to the Syrian border by radical militant groups backed by Iran operating in Syria and Iraq since then US military forces have struck Targets in Iraq and Syria our response will continue we're grateful to our partners and allies like the king who work with us every single day to Advance Security and stability across the region and Beyond it's difficult times like these when the bonds between nations are more important than ever and Jill and I are pleased to welcome him and the queen and the Crown Prince of the White House today your majesty over to [Music] you Mr sorry Mr President um thank you for your gracious Hospitality according to me and uh my delegation today my visit today carries um an added meaning as our countries this year mark 75 years of exemplary strategic partnership however we had hoped we would be marking this major Milestone during better circumstances in my region and the world unfortunately one of the most devastating Wars in recent history continues to unfold in GZA as we speak nearly 100,000 people have been killed injured or are missing the majority are women and children we cannot afford an Israeli attack on Rafa it is certain to produce another humanitarian catastrophe the situation is already unbearable for over a million people who have been pushed into RAF since the war started we cannot stand by and let this continue we need a lasting ceasefire now this war must end we must urgently and immediately work to ensure the sustainable delivery of sufficient Aid to Gaza through all possible entry points and mechanisms and I thank you Mr President for your support on this restrictions on vital relief Aid and medical items are leading to inhumane conditions no other UN agency can do what Ana is doing in helping the people of Gaza through this humanitarian catastrophe its work in other areas of operation especially in Jordan where 2.3 million are registered is also vital it is imperative that Ana continues to receive the support it needs to carry out its mandate the Potential Threat of Palestinian displacement beyond the borders of Raza and the West Bank is something we view with extreme concern and cannot be alow outow at the same time we must ignore we must not ignore the situation in the West Bank and in the holy sites in Jerusalem nearly 400 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7th including almost 100 children and over 4,000 injured continued escalations by extremist settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem's holy sites and the expansion of illegal settlements will unleash chaos on the entire region the vast majority of Muslim worshippers are not being allowed to enter alaka mosque Christian churches have also voiced concerns about increasing and unprecedented restrictions and threats it is also important to stress that the separation of the West Bank and razza cannot be accepted seven decades of occupation death and destruction have proven Beyond any doubt that there can be no peace without a political Horizon military and security soltion are not the answer they can never bring peace civilians on both sides continue to pay for this protracted conflict with their lives all attacks against innocent civilians women and children including those of October 7th cannot be accepted by any Muslim as I had previously stressed we must make sure the horrors of the past few months since October 7th are never repeated nor accepted by any human being we must together along with Arab partners and the International Community Step Up efforts to reach a ceasefire inet and immediately start working to create a political Horizon that leads to a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution an independent Sovereign and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital but living side by side with Israel in peace and security this is the only solution that will guarantee peace and security for the Palestinians and the Israelis as well as the entire region your leadership my dear friend Mr President is key to addressing this conflict and Jordan is ready to work as always with you towards peace thank [Applause] [Music] you