British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has arrived in Israel at the start of a two-day trip aimed at showing solidarity with the country and preventing the crisis triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack from escalating.
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Sunak held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog before he was set to travel to other regional capitals.
Video: Rishi Sunak and Isaac Herzog meet in Jerusalem / Credit: Omer Mero, Ben Peretz
After landing at Ben Gurion Airport, Sunak said the people of Israel had "suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism, and I want you to know that the United Kingdom and I stand with you." He added, "Above all, I'm here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people."
The UK is pushing for the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to allow aid to get in and foreign nationals to leave. After a visit by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, Israel said it had agreed to allow limited humanitarian aid into Gaza, and Biden said Egypt had agreed to open the crossing to up to 20 trucks.
Sunak said before leaving for the Middle East that an explosion at the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, which appears to have killed hundreds, "should be a watershed moment" for world leaders to unite and prevent escalation of the conflict.
British authorities have not said who they believe was responsible for the blast.
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