LOD CITY, Israel
British Prime Minister, Rishi
Sunak, landed in Israel on Thursday, beginning a visit in which he will meet
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog before traveling
on to other regional capitals.British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak walks after landing at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel on Oct. 19, 2023. (Courtesy)
Sunak will share his condolences
for the loss of life in Israel and Gaza as a result of the Oct. 7 attack on
Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas gunmen, his office said, and warn
against further escalation of conflict in the region.
“Every civilian death is a
tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas’ horrific act of
terror,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of his visit.
He said a deadly blast at a
Gaza hospital on Tuesday which killed hundreds of Palestinians should be “a
watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come
together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict,” pledging Britain
would be at “the forefront of this effort.”
Sunak will also urge the
opening up of a route to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt as soon as
possible, and to enable British nationals trapped in Gaza to leave.
At least seven British
nationals have been killed and at least nine are missing since the attack on
Israel, Sunak’s spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Alongside Sunak’s visit,
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who visited Israel last week, will
travel to Egypt, Turkiye and Qatar over the next three days to discuss the
conflict and seek a peaceful resolution, his office said.
Britain said the three
countries were “vital to international efforts to uphold regional stability,
free hostages and allow humanitarian access to Gaza.”
Cleverly will meet with senior
leaders there to discuss efforts to prevent the conflict spreading, the urgent
need to open the Rafah crossing with Egypt to let aid reach those who need it
and for Hamas to release hostages, Britain said.
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