Pressure mounts for immediate Gaza truce

Calls grow louder for recognizing state of Palestine as Israel continues strikes

Pressure is building on Israel to call for an immediate cease-fire in Rafah and other places in the Gaza Strip with more nations recognizing the state of Palestine.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing heat from across the globe as the three European countries — Spain, Norway and Ireland — on Wednesday said they would recognize a Palestinian state.

King Abdullah II of Jordan and Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said on Wednesday stressed the urgent need for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza as they held talks in the Jordanian capital Amman, Xinhua News Agency reported.