Biden to host Jordan's King next week

(Patria) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host Jordan's King Abdullah II next week, the White House said on Friday, as ceasefire negotiations in Gaza continue in the Middle East, reports AFP.

The meeting will be "private" and followed by a statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, without specifying the date of the meeting.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of negotiations for a hostage release deal and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after nearly seven months of war.

The negotiations, which followed months of efforts by mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to broker a new deal between the combatants, are at a critical juncture.

The U.S. has urged Hamas to accept an "extremely generous" offer. Hamas on Friday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to disrupt the proposed Gaza deal with his threats to launch an operation in Rafah.

King Abdullah II last visited the White House in February, when he called for an immediate ceasefire and warned that an attack on Rafah would cause a "humanitarian catastrophe".

In April, Jordan worked with the United States and other allies to shoot down Iranian drones that Tehran sent towards Israel, as Amman sought to avoid a wider conflict.