UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is scheduled to arrive in Israel at 9 a.m. on Thursday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, according to Sunak’s office.
During his visit, Sunak will strongly denounce Hamas’s “horrific act of terror” and express his condolences for the significant loss of life in Israel and Gaza during the past two weeks due to Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks. In a statement released ahead of his trip, Sunak also emphasizes that any civilian casualty is a tragedy and urges fellow leaders not to let Hamas’ inhumane acts and disregard for human life further escalate the conflict in the region.
Sunak characterizes the recent “attack” on a Gaza City hospital as a pivotal moment for leaders worldwide to unite and prevent dangerous escalation of the conflict. The explosion at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening led to false accusations by Hamas, blaming Israeli airstrikes, while Israel provided evidence that the incident resulted from a misfired rocket by Palestinian terrorists in the facility’s parking lot.
While in Israel, Sunak will advocate for the swift establishment of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza. Additionally, he plans to visit several other regional capitals, although specific details are not provided by Downing Street.
During Sunak’s visit to Israel, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will travel to Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps held discussions with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, in Washington to coordinate their response to the ongoing crisis, according to the statement.
