Jordan's king warns Blinken of 'catastrophic repercussions' of war

Jordan's King Abdullah has warned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the "catastrophic repercussions" of Israel continuing its war on Gaza, a palace statement said on Sunday.

The king also told Blinken during a meeting that Washington had a major role to play in putting pressure on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the besieged enclave.

The US official arrived in Jordan late on Saturday as part of his Middle East tour, before heading for Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. 

A senior US state department official told Reuters that Blinken was using the trip to press countries in the region to play a role in the reconstruction, governance and security of Gaza after the end of the war. 

In Doha, the Biden administration's top diplomat is expected to discuss efforts to release around 100 Israeli captives held in Gaza by Palestinian groups.