Amid the intensifying Israel-Hamas conflict, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made a significant visit to Tel Aviv on Thursday, becoming the second world leader to travel to the war-torn region after US President Joe Biden. In a social media post, Sunak expressed his grief and solidarity with Israel in the face of terrorism. He’s scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and later visit other regional capitals.
Sunak conveyed condolences for civilian casualties in the conflict and will advocate for the swift delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Concurrently, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is set to engage with leaders in Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar to seek support for a peaceful resolution and discuss humanitarian access to Gaza, as well as the release of British hostages held by Hamas.
These visits follow President Biden’s recent trip to Israel and the Gaza conflict’s tragic events, with differing accounts of the explosion at a Gaza City hospital, emphasizing the need for regional and international collaboration to prevent further escalation.