RISHI Sunak is set to arrive in Israel tomorrow as part of a two-day trip to prevent conflict from spiralling.
The Prime Minister will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Isaac Herzog following US President Joe Biden’s visit today.
Jack HillIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting RIshi Sunak during an official visit to the UK[/caption]
Meetings are being held in a desperate diplomatic bid to stop tensions escalating further.
The PM is understood to be pressing for a route into Gaza to open as soon as possible for the deliveries of humanitarian aid.
It will also be used to get those trapped in the territory out, according to No. 10.
Mr Sunak is due to meet with counterparts in several capitals in the wider region.
Ahead of his trip, the Prime Minister said: “Every civilian death is a tragedy. And too many lives have been lost following Hamas’s horrific act of terror.
“The attack on al Ahli Hospital should be a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict.
“I will ensure the UK is at the forefront of this effort.”
This comes as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is organised to visit Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.
Mr Cleverly said: “It is in no one’s interests – neither Israeli, Palestinian nor the wider Middle East – for others to be drawn into this conflict.
“I am meeting counterparts from influential states in the region to push for calm and stability, facilitate humanitarian access into Gaza and work together to secure the release of hostages.”
Israel confirmed Egypt will be allowed to deliver limited amounts of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
After his visit, Joe Biden has said Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah El-Sisi agreed to open the Rafah border crossing.
This will allow about 20 trucks with humanitarian aid into Gaza.
As reported by Sky News, the US President said: “Sisi deserves some real credit because he was accommodating”.
If Hamas confiscates aid, “it will end”, he added.
Humanitarian aid will be arriving from Friday once access has been forged, according to White House officials.
Reports from humanitarian workers in Gaza warned of essential supplies having nearly depleted completely.
Israel stated it would not block water, food and medicine entering Gaza from Egypt in response to a demand from Biden.
The White House said Biden and El-Sisi have “agreed to work together closely” on “an urgent and robust international response” to the atrocities in Gaza.
And, the two leaders also agreed on the need to prevent fighting spiralling and preserve stability in the Middle East, as reported by White House officials.
The Egyptian presidency confirmed Biden and El-Sisi had spoken of ways to see humanitarian aid arrive into Gaza as quickly as possible during a phone call.
Biden is set to make an address on the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the Ukraine war, tomorrow.
It comes as a huge blast hit the al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza tonight which killed at least 417 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Hamas claimed it was caused by an Israeli airstrike, but Israel Defence Forces and US intelligence suspect it was a rocket misfired by Hamas ally, Islamic Jihad that struck the hospital.
Israel have published what they claim are taped recordings of Hamas admitting the rocket was probably fired from their own side by their associates in Islamic Jihad.
This has been denied by the militant group.
GettyUS President Joe Biden and Israeli President Isaac Herzog meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel today[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
