The prime minister has informed Israel “the UK stands with you” as he holds talks in Tel Aviv.
Speaking as he arrived on the airport, Rishi Sunak stated: “I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people.
“You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I need you to know that the United Kingdom, and I, stand with you.
“I am looking forward to my meetings later today with the prime minister and president. And I very much hope that they will be productive meetings.”
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Mr Sunak has met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Netanyahu embraced Mr Sunak because the pair met, and Mr Sunak might be heard saying: “Hello my friend, very good to see you.”
After their assembly, the pair held a quick information convention, wherein Mr Netanyahu thanks Mr Sunak for his assist.
Mr Netanyahu stated the present scenario will likely be “a long war”, and Israel will “need” the UK’s “continual support”.
Mr Sunak stated he welcomed the opening of a humanitarian hall into Gaza.
He added that he knew Israel was “taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians – in contrast to the terrorists of Hamas”.
Mr Sunak stated he was “proud” to face with Israel in its “darkest hour”.
The UK chief is on a two-day journey to the area, and can meet with counterparts from throughout the Middle East, based on Downing Street, together with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly can be within the area.
In their assembly, Mr Herzog and Mr Sunak “stressed the imperative need to avoid further escalation of violence”.
A Downing Street spokesperson stated: “The prime minister met Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Israel today.
“He expressed his private condolences for the horrific lack of life in Israel on account of Hamas’s terrorism. He reiterated that the UK stands in solidarity with Israel and firmly believes within the nation’s proper to self-defence consistent with worldwide legislation.
“The prime minister and President Herzog agreed on the importance of getting urgent humanitarian support to ordinary Palestinians in Gaza who are also suffering. The prime minister welcomed yesterday’s announcement that Israel would not stop aid from entering Gaza. He expressed his sincere hope that further progress could be made on delivering crucial food, water and medicine.
“The prime minister conveyed his gratitude to President Herzog for the assist Israel has offered to British nationals caught up within the assaults, together with to the households of those that have been taken hostage. The leaders agreed to proceed working tirelessly to safe their launch.
“The prime minister and President Herzog stressed the imperative need to avoid further escalation of violence in the region. They agreed to continue working together to that end.”
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Mr Herzog thanked Mr Sunak for the go to afterwards, saying: “We are at the frontier of a certain class of civilisation. We are seeing an ISIS on our border, entering in our country.
“It is an empire of evil that we all know is led by terror.”
Mr Sunak’s visit comes following the explosion at the al Ahli hospital in Gaza City, where hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in the wake of Hamas’s deadly surprise attack on 7 October.
Hamas officials claimed the hospital blast killed hundreds of people and was caused by an Israeli airstrike – but the Israeli military blamed a misfiring rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group and released imagery and communications intercepts to support their case.
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US President Joe Biden additionally visited the area this week. He additionally spoke with Mr Netanyahu.
Mr Biden had been set to satisfy with Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders, however the summit was scrapped following the explosion on the hospital.
Source: information.sky.com”