US Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Indonesia’s incoming president, Prabowo Subianto, for offering assistance in Gaza during their meeting at an aid conference in Jordan, AFP reports.

Blinken congratulated Prabowo, now Indonesia’s defence minister, on his election and discussed how the US-led ceasefire initiative “would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians”, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Blinken “thanked the defence minister for Indonesia’s support for the proposal to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and secure the release of all hostages”, Miller added.

Addressing the conference on the Dead Sea, Prabowo said Indonesia was ready to send medical teams, a field hospital and a hospital ship to Gaza.

He also said Indonesia would evacuate 1,000 people for medical treatment in the Southeast Asian country, as well as children who have lost their parents or suffer other trauma, and help them return to Gaza after the bombardment is over.

“Although we are willing to support and contribute to all these efforts, the final solution to this problem is a two-state solution,” he said.

“Only with a two-state solution with Palestine and Israel living side by side in security and safety can we resolve this problem.”