Amman: ‘Stabbing Attack’ on Tourists in Jerash

Tourists were airlifted to King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman following the incident. (Reuters: Muhammad Hamed)
Tourists were airlifted to King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman following the incident. (Reuters: Muhammad Hamed)
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Amman: ‘Stabbing Attack’ on Tourists in Jerash

Tourists were airlifted to King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman following the incident. (Reuters: Muhammad Hamed)
Tourists were airlifted to King Hussein Medical Centre in Amman following the incident. (Reuters: Muhammad Hamed)

The Jordanian authorities arrested Wednesday a man after stabbing four Jordanians, including a security officer, a tour guide and a bus driver, in addition to three Mexican tourists and a Swiss woman in Jerash, north of the country.

Jordanian tour guide Zouheir Zreiqat witnessed the attack and told AFP that it happened "just before midday when around 100 foreign tourists" were at the site.

"A bearded man in his twenties wearing black and brandishing a knife started to stab tourists," Zreiqat said.

He said others started to shout for help and he, along with three other tour guides and three tourists managed to stop the assailant.

"We took the knife from him. He stayed silent, without saying a word until the police arrived and arrested him," Zreiqat said.

Health Minister Saad Jaber confirmed that eight people had been wounded and had been transported to the hospital for treatment. The minister said that four of the victims "suffered moderate to severe wounds, while the other four had minor injuries."

"A Mexican tourist in serious condition and a Jordanian tour guide" were transferred via helicopter to the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, he added.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi telephoned his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis and deputy Mexican foreign secretary Julian Ventura to assure them Jordan was caring for their country's citizens and that they would be kept abreast of the results of investigations.

Moreover, an official from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the stabbing, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

It was not the first time a Jordanian tourist attraction has witnessed an attack.

In December 2016, in Karak, 10 people were killed in an attack claimed by ISIS that also left 34 wounded.

Four violent incidents struck the country the same year, including a suicide attack in June claimed by ISIS that killed seven Jordanian border guards near the frontier with Syria.



Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
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Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)

Hamas officials expressed surprise on Saturday at US President Donald Trump's accusation that the group "didn't really want" a ceasefire and hostage release deal for Gaza.

Trump made the allegation of Friday a day after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar that had lasted nearly three weeks.

"Trump's remarks are particularly surprising, especially as they come at a time when progress had been made on some of the negotiation files," Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

"So far, we have not been informed of any issues regarding the files under discussion in the indirect ceasefire negotiations", he added

Nunu, who is close to Hamas's most senior political officials, said he was "surprised" that Israel and the United States had left the talks.

Announcing the recall of US mediators on Thursday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not "acting in good faith".

Though not part of the Hamas negotiating team, Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq insisted the group had shown "flexibility" in the talks.

"The American statements deliberately ignore the real obstructionist to all agreements, Netanyahu's government, which continues to put obstacles, deceive and evade commitments," he said.

Both Hamas officials called on the United States to be more even-handed in its role as mediator in the quest for a ceasefire after more than 21 months of fighting.

"We call for an end to the US bias in favour of Netanyahu, who is obstructing any agreement", Nunu said.