UK Prime Minister in Israel as intermittent airstrikes on Southern Gaza continue

New Delhi: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom embarked on a diplomatic mission to Israel as US President Biden concluded his short visit on Wednesday. Sunak’s journey began with a flight to Cyprus the previous night, and he subsequently arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday morning. Prime Minister Sunak’s visit included meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar over the next few days.

Several world leaders from developed countries are reaching Israel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was there on Tuesday, President Biden, who was there on Wednesday and the UK prime minister visiting on Thursday. President Macron of France is expected in the region in the coming days.

During his visit, Sunak expressed shock and sorrow at the recent hospital blast and the loss of hundreds of innocent civilian lives. He emphasized that Palestinian civilians are also victims of Hamas and welcomed Israel’s decision to allow aid into the Gaza Strip. The UK committed to increasing aid to the region and sought to expedite support for the affected population.

Sunak reiterated the UK’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself by international law and its efforts to combat Hamas. He acknowledged Israel’s precautions to minimise harm to civilians, contrasting them with Hamas’s tactics that put civilians in harm’s way. Sunak expressed solidarity with Israel in what he referred to as “its darkest hour”.

Following his two-day visit to Israel, Prime Minister Sunak is expected to travel to other countries in the region. He also condemned what he referred to as a “horrific act” by Hamas on October 7 and affirmed the UK’s solidarity with Israel.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, the situation in the region continues to be marked by Israeli airstrikes, with Israel targeting Hamas infrastructure in Gaza. The Gaza Strip remains under siege, affecting the supply of essential resources like water, electricity, and fuel. Israel’s military reported the destruction of numerous Hamas terrorist infrastructures, and there have been casualties on both sides.

Humanitarian Aid for Gaza

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed to open the Rafah crossing at the Gaza border to allow the entry of up to 20 trucks of aid, following US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel. Aid shipments, including food, water, and medicines, are likely to begin arriving in Gaza from Friday. The first consignment will be 20 truckloads of international aid. However, fuel, which is also urgently needed, was not included in this initial aid agreement.

The Rafah crossing, not controlled by Israel, is the only entry point for Gaza that allows this aid delivery. Crowds of people and trucks carrying aid supplies have been waiting at the crossing.

2 Hostage dead bodies found

Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the discovery of the bodies of two hostages who were taken captive by Hamas on October 7. The victims, an 80-year-old woman named Carmela Dan and her 12-year-old granddaughter Noya Dan, were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The location of the bodies was not disclosed, and Israel expressed deep sorrow over the loss.

Additionally, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari disclosed that the military has informed the families of 203 hostages being held in Gaza, representing an increase from the previously reported hostage total of 199.

Airstrikes by Israeli forces continue in Southern Gaza

Ongoing airstrikes persist in the southern regions of Gaza, while a significant number of Palestinians have relocated to the northern areas of Gaza to escape the imminent Israeli ground offensive. During the late hours of the night, Israel intensified its air raids in various parts of the Gaza Strip, with Rafah enduring the most severe bombardment. Reports from Khan Younis suggest structural damage and the potential for casualties. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsened following the bombing of hospitals, as the Israeli blockade exacerbated shortages of vital medical supplies and food, causing increasing concern among the local population.

Hamas’s Woman political bureau killed in an airstrike

Reports from Palestinian media suggest that the first and only woman in Jamila al-Shanti, who was the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, played a significant role in founding the women’s movement within Hamas and achieved the distinction of becoming the first woman elected to the political bureau in 2021.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) also confirmed the targeted killing of Rafat Abu Hilal, who served as the head of the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, the third-largest armed faction in Gaza after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The IDF conducted the airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, based on intelligence from the Shin Bet.