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.
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.
“Above all, I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people. You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you,” Sunak told Israeli reporters after landing.
I am in Israel, a nation in grief.I grieve with you and stand with you against the evil that is terrorism.Today, and always.סוֹלִידָרִיוּת pic.twitter.com/DTcvkkLqdT
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 19, 2023
President Isaac Herzog will meet today, Thursday, Wednesday, October 19, at 11:00 a.m., with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is visiting Israel, at the President’s House in Jerusalem.
“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.
Cleverly returns to Israel
Alongside Sunak’s visit, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who visited Israel last week, will travel to Egypt, Turkey 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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