King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan
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King of Jordan Says Losing Citizen for Negligence Is 'Absolutely Unacceptable'

King Abdullah II of Jordan
King Abdullah II of Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Monday paid tribute to the lives lost at Al Hussein hospital in Salt due to oxygen outage, stressing that all those proven to have been negligent in the investigation will be held to account.

Chairing a National Policies Council (NPC) meeting, the King said officials and junior or senior employees must be up to the responsibility, or else step aside to enable those who want to serve Jordanians to replace them.

He said it was absolutely unacceptable to lose a citizen as a result of negligence, according to a Royal Court statement.

Official positions do not serve to offer favors and benefits, he affirmed.

The King dismissed claims that negligence or corruption was part of the culture in Jordan, stressing that Jordanians have always been known for honor and dignity, in line with the values of their ancestors who founded the state.

He further expressed understanding of the difficulties facing Jordanians as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this context, Jordan reported 9,417 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, which is its highest one-day tally since the pandemic started, official health data showed on Monday. It also recorded 82 deaths.

A total of 48,638 virus tests were also conducted on Monday.

The statement added that there are currently 79,723 active COVID-19 cases in Jordan. A total of 491 COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals on Monday, it added.



Macron Tours Egypt Aid Outpost for Gaza

French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and Dr Amal Emam, CEO of the Egyptian Red Crescent (C), visit Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses storing aid for Gaza, in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish, on April 8, 2025. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and Dr Amal Emam, CEO of the Egyptian Red Crescent (C), visit Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses storing aid for Gaza, in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish, on April 8, 2025. (AFP)
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Macron Tours Egypt Aid Outpost for Gaza

French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and Dr Amal Emam, CEO of the Egyptian Red Crescent (C), visit Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses storing aid for Gaza, in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish, on April 8, 2025. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron (L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) and Dr Amal Emam, CEO of the Egyptian Red Crescent (C), visit Egyptian Red Crescent warehouses storing aid for Gaza, in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish, on April 8, 2025. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron visited the Egyptian city of El-Arish, a key transit point for Gaza-bound aid, on Tuesday to call on Israel to lift its blockade of aid deliveries to the war-battered Palestinian territory.

Alongside his Egyptian host Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Macron toured a hospital in the port city, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, and met with medical professionals and sick and wounded Palestinians evacuated from Gaza.

Carrying a bouquet of red roses to give to patients, the French president visited several wards as well as a play area for children.

His office said the trip was aimed at piling pressure on Israel for "the reopening of crossing points for the delivery of humanitarian goods into Gaza".

Israel cut off aid to Gaza in early March, during an impasse over next steps in a ceasefire with Hamas. Later in March, Israel resumed intense bombardment across the territory and restarted ground operations.

Emergency department doctor Mahmud Mohammad Elshaer said the hospital had treated around 1,200 Palestinian patients since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

"Some days we can receive 100 patients, others 50," Elshaer said, adding that many had sustained limb amputations or eye or brain injuries.

In Cairo, Macron, Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II called for an "immediate return" to the ceasefire.

The three leaders met on Monday to discuss the war and humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of Gaza's 2.4 million people, the vast majority of whom have been displaced at least once during the war.

In a joint statement on Monday, the heads of several UN agencies said many Gazans are "trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck" outside of the blockaded territory.