-
-
-
Loading
Loading
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to travel to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid escalating efforts by world leaders to prevent the conflict with Hamas from spreading further in the region. During the visit, Sunak will express his condolences for the civilians who lost their lives in the Hamas attacks and advocate for urgent humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza. Sunak emphasized the tragic nature of civilian deaths and condemned Hamas for their acts of terror. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will also be meeting with leaders in Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar to seek support for a peaceful resolution in Israel and Gaza. The UK government aims to utilize all diplomatic means available to prevent a ground offensive in Gaza, which they anticipate from Israel. The visits by senior British officials follow US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, which was overshadowed by the deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City. While Biden supported Israel's account of a failed rocket launched by Palestinian militants causing the blast, Palestinian officials claimed that the hospital was hit by an Israeli airstrike. British intelligence services are working to determine the cause of the explosion. Sunak stressed the need for leaders worldwide to come together following the hospital attack to prevent further dangerous escalation of the conflict. Ahead of his trip, a vigil was held in London to honor the victims of the blast, and King Charles made a plea for religious tolerance and mutual respect amidst the turmoil in Israel and Gaza. The prime minister's visit comes amid Israeli warnings of a ground offensive in Gaza and concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation. Since the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, Israeli forces have been bombarding Gaza, resulting in over 3,000 casualties. In response to the attacks, Israel has blocked essential supplies from entering Gaza and is demanding the release of hostages held by Hamas. The UK government is working tirelessly to secure the release of British hostages held by Hamas. So far, seven British nationals have been confirmed dead from the attack on Israel, and nine others remain missing. President Biden announced an agreement to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, but Israel will only permit this once Hamas releases the hostages.