Sunak in Israel; Calls it a ‘nation in grief,’ to seek deescalation, urges opening route for aid [details]

After announcing funding worth 10 million pounds for Palestinian civilians stuck in the occupied Palestinians territories (OPT) on Monday, Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak landed in Israel on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Soon after landing, Sunak called Israel a, “nation in grief.” He also pledged his solidarity and said, “I grieve with you and stand with you against the evil that is terrorism.” 

Sunak will share his condolences for the loss of life in both Israel and Gaza and also warn against further escalation of conflict in the region, said his office. Sunak is later scheduled to visit other regional capitals, it added.

On the agenda

Calling Tuesday’s deadly blast at a Gaza hospital, “a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict,” Sunak said that Britain would be at the forefront of this effort. “Every civilian death is a tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas’ horrific act of terror,” Sunak said in a statement ahead of his visit, stressing upon his agendas for the meeting with PM Netanyahu.

Let humanitarian aid in

Sunak will urge the opening up of a route to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel has received intense flak for stopping entry of food, water, fuel and medicines into Gaza. The sole remaining access from Egypt to Gaza was shut down last Tuesday after airstrikes hit the border crossing. The spokesperson for Sunak also said enabling British nationals trapped in Gaza to leave, also figures on the list of his agenda. At least seven British nationals have been killed and reportedly, nine are still missing since the attack on Israel.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will be visiting Egypt, Turkey, Qatar over the next three days to discuss the efforts to prevent spread of the conflict in the Middle East while seeking a peaceful resolution. He’ll also discuss the urgent need to open Rafah crossing with Egypt so the aid could reach those in need and more suffering could be prevented. Cleverly visited Israel last week.

Before Sunak, Biden visited Israel

A day after Palestinian authorities said it was an Israeli air strike on a Gaza hospital that killed over 500, US President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday and reaffirmed US support for Tel Aviv. On Tuesday, Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi announced that the proposed summit with the presidents of the US and Egypt stands canceled. The hospital attack has further escalated the divisive stance of world leaders and organizations, with the UN chief calling for immediate humanitarian ceasefire.