AMMAN — In a sudden turn of events, the highly anticipated four-party summit scheduled to bring together Jordan's King Abdullah II and the Presidents of the United States, Joe Biden, Egypt's Abdulfattah Al-Sisi, and Palestine's Mahmoud Abbas, has been called off.

The cancellation was officially announced by Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi in a televised address on Tuesday night. The decision came shortly after President Abbas abruptly ended his visit to Amman.

Abbas, who was a key participant in the summit focused on addressing the conflict in the Gaza Strip, left for Ramallah urgently. The unexpected move followed a devastating airstrike launched by Israeli occupation forces on the Baptist Al Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza City. The incident added a grim urgency to the discussions that were set to take place during the summit.

The cancellation raises concerns about the escalating tensions in the region and the challenges faced in finding a resolution to the long-standing conflict. — Agencies