British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Israel on Thursday to offer support in the aftermath of the October 7 terror attacks. Sunak said he “absolutely supports Israel to defend itself in line with international law.” In a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sunak expressed solidarity and pledged ongoing support for Israel’s fight against Hamas.
Netanyahu compared the situation to “the world’s darkest hour,” relating it to past challenges against Nazis and ISIS. He also indicated that Israel was on the brink of expanding its peace agreements in the Middle East before the attacks took place.
During the attacks, approximately 2,500 terrorists penetrated Israel’s borders, killing around 1,400 civilians. Six British citizens were also killed.
Sunak also highlighted that the Palestinian people are “victims of Hamas too,” acknowledging Israel’s efforts to allow humanitarian access to Gaza.
On the other hand, international sentiment for Israel has dimmed, particularly following erroneous reports of an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza hospital.
Sunak made no mention of toppling Hamas, which Israel has stated is a war aim.