**AMMAN, Jordan**
The foreign ministers of Jordan and Iran held talks over the phone on Sunday to discuss escalation in the region amid renewed Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Discussions between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Iranian counterpart also explored the impact of the ongoing escalation in the region on regional security and stability, reads a statement by Jordan’s Foreign Ministry.
Safadi stressed the need for intensified regional and international efforts for de-escalation, securing a permanent ceasefire and ensuring Israel honors an exchange deal brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.
The Israeli army has launched a surprise aerial campaign on Gaza since Tuesday, killing more than 700 Palestinians, injuring over 1,000 others, and shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.
The first phase of the ceasefire ended in early March, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to enter talks for a second phase of the deal. Instead, he wants to extend the first phase of the agreement.
Palestinian group Hamas has refused to proceed under these conditions, insisting that Israel abide by the terms of the ceasefire and immediately start negotiations for the second phase, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to the war.
As for Lebanon, the Jordanian foreign minister urged the international community to take a clear, effective stance to enforce Israel’s compliance with a ceasefire agreement there.
At least seven people were killed and 40 others injured in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon on Saturday after rocket fire, despite Hezbollah’s denial of responsibility for the fire.
Safadi also called for an end to Israeli attacks on Syria and adherence to the 1974 disengagement agreement between the two countries.
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria. It also intensified airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions across the country.
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