United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to embark on a visit to Israel later on Thursday, where he will meet with the top leaders to discuss the country’s situation amid ongoing war with Hamas.

London: Amid the escalating conflict between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hamas militants, the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is set to visit the war-torn country later on Thursday. PM Sunak’s visit is coming after United States President Joe Biden met with Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Sunday. During his visit, he will meet with the top leaders there to discuss Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas militants and express solidarity. Reuters reported this, citing the UK PM’s office.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will travel to Israel and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, before travelling on to other regional capitals, reports Reuters citing UK PM’s office

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— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2023

As per UK PMO, PM Sunak will meet Israel Prime Minister and President Isaac Herzog and will share his condolences for the loss of life in Israel and Gaza as a result of the October 7 attack on Israel.

“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, according to Reuters.

According to Reuters, the UK PM will call for the opening of route to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza as soon as possible. He will also talk in regards to departing British nationals trapped in Gaza.

Earlier, Sunak condemned the attack on the recent Gaza hospital, that killed hundreds of people. Taking to X (former Twitter) he wrote, “We are all shocked by the scenes at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital. Our intelligence services are rapidly analysing the evidence to independently establish the facts,” he posted. Thousands of people have lost their lives as the war between IDF and Hamas escalating everyday.

However, since the starting of the war, international organisation including the United Nations mounting pressure for an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table to resolve the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu spokesperson Tal Heinrich told CNN that the IDF “does not target hospitals.” “We only target Hamas strongholds, arms depots, and terror targets,” he added.

The remarks came after Palestinian sources claimed that initial estimates suggest that the attack on the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City resulted in 200 to 300 fatalities.

On Tuesday, an explosion at a hospital in Gaza City reportedly resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, as per health authorities in the Hamas-controlled enclave, as reported by Reuters. A Gaza civil defense chief claimed on Al-Jazeera television that over 300 people were killed in the hospital explosion.

Expressing his solidarity with the nation, United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated on Monday that the attacks in Israel last weekend were shocking to the world. He described how people of all ages, including the elderly, men, women, children, and infants, suffered tragic fates. During an update to the House of Commons on the latest situation in Israel and Gaza, Sunak pledged full support for Israel from the UK.

“The attacks in Israel last weekend shocked the world. Over 1,400 people were murdered, over 3,500 wounded, almost 200 taken hostage. The elderly, men, women, children, and babies in arms were murdered, mutilated and burned alive. It was a pogrom…We stand with Israel. The murdered and the missing come from over 30 countries, including the United Kingdom. At least six British citizens were killed and ten are missing…We are working with Israel to establish the effects as quickly as possible…we are also helping British citizens who want to leave Israel,” Sunak said in the Parliament. “I want to address the British Jewish community directly…we stand with you now and always. This atrocity was an existential strike at the very idea of Israel as a safe homeland for the Jewish people. We are doing everything that we can to protect you…,” he added.

Speaking further, the UK Prime Minister said that Hamas is using innocent Palestinians as human shields,” adding that Britain mourns the loss of every innocent life.

“Hamas is using innocent Palestinian people as human shields. With the tragic loss of more than 2,600 Palestinian lives, including many children, we mourn the loss of every innocent life. Civilians of every faith, every nationality, who have been killed…I believe we must support Israel’s right to defend itself, to go after Hamas, take back the hostages, deter further incursions, and strengthen its security for the long term…,” he said.

Sunak also stressed that Palestinians are, too the victims of Hamas and urged for immediate humanitarian support for people living in Gaza.

He said, “We must support the Palestinian people because they are victims of Hamas too. We believe that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations to live with equal measures of security, freedom, justice, opportunity, and dignity.”

“Hamas simply does not stand for the future that the Palestinians want, and they seek to put the Palestinian people in harm’s way. So we must ensure humanitarian support urgently reaches civilians in Gaza. This requires Egypt and Israel to allow the aid that is so badly needed,” he added.