Israel-Hamas war: After Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak to visit Israel today; hold talk with Benjamin Netanyahu

Amid the ongoing conflict as a result of Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive in Israel on Thursday and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, before travelling on to other regional capitals.

He will offer his condolences for the loss of lives in Israel and Gaza as a result of the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas gunmen, Reuters reported citing his office.

"Every civilian death is a tragedy," the Prime Minister said ahead of the visit. "And too many lives have been lost following Hamas' horrific act of terror."

Talking about the Gaza hospital blast which reportedly killed over 400 people, Sunak said it should be "a watershed moment for leaders in the region and across the world to come together to avoid further dangerous escalation of conflict". He pledged that Britain would be at "the forefront of this effort".

His visit comes a day after US President Joe Biden's trip to Israel. Following his visit, Biden said that based on what he saw, it appears that the deadly explosion at the Gaza hospital was done by "the other team" and not the Israeli military, accepting the Israeli version that a "misfired" rocket by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad was responsible for the tragedy.

Biden said that he asked "tough questions" during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also said that he supports a two-state solution so that Israel and the Palestinian people can both live safely and securely in peace and announced $100 million for humanitarian aid in the war-torn Gaza and the West Bank.

"I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. Based on what I've seen, it appears it was done by the other team, and not you," he told Netanyahu on Wednesday, according to a PTI report.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has said that 471 people were killed and 314 others injured in the hospital blast for which Hamas and Israel traded charges holding each other responsible for the incident.

Alongside Sunak's visit, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who visited Israel last week, will travel to Egypt, Turkey and Qatar over the next three days to discuss the conflict and seek a peaceful resolution, his office said.

(With agencies inputs)

Also Read: US President Biden announces $100 million aid for Gaza; White House says Israel 'not responsible' for Gaza hospital blast