British politician recently held a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, during his visit to Egypt as part of his Middle East tour. The two leaders strongly condemned the attacks by Hamas on Israel and expressed their deep condolences for the civilian casualties in Gaza.
In addition to the meeting with President Abbas, Sunak also met with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, where they both agreed on the importance of preventing further conflicts in the region. Sunak emphasized the urgent need to reopen the Egypt-Gaza border to allow the entry of essential aid, with 20 aid trucks already prepared for delivery.
Downing Street, in a summary of the conversation between Sunak and Abbas, stated their condemnation of Hamas’s terrorism and highlighted that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. The statement also mentioned Sunak’s commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza and his discussions with Egypt on practical measures for aiding the people in need.
Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, holds control over areas in the occupied West Bank, while the Gaza Strip is governed by Hamas. Sunak commended Egypt’s efforts to facilitate the delivery of aid through the Rafah border crossing in his earlier meeting with President El-Sisi.
Before leaving Egypt, Mr. Sunak spoke to reporters about the immediate priority of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. He expressed satisfaction in his conversations with Middle East leaders regarding the reopening of the border and was pleased to hear that it would happen soon. Shortly after Sunak’s remarks, US President Joe Biden revealed that aid trucks were likely to enter Gaza within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Prior to his Egypt visit, Sunak expressed his gratitude to the Emir of Qatar for his efforts in securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. During his meeting with Qatar’s leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, they pledged to do everything possible to prevent escalation of violence in the region.
The United Nations expects the first aid delivery to reach Gaza through the Rafah border crossing in the next day or so. The Gaza Strip has been under a complete siege since last Monday, with Israel blocking the supply of water, electricity, and fuel. Israeli airstrikes and artillery attacks have intensified following Hamas’s initial assault on Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people. Palestinian officials have reported a total of more than 4,000 casualties in the Gaza Strip.
A considerable number of trucks carrying food, water, and medicine are waiting at the Egyptian border crossing, but fuel is currently unavailable. Initially, only 20 trucks will be permitted to enter Gaza.
More on Israel-Gaza war
Sunak initiated his Middle East tour in Israel, where he expressed his support for the country in its ongoing battle against Hamas. He also urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to contribute to regional stability. Downing Street highlighted that both leaders acknowledged the devastating loss of innocent lives in Israel and Gaza and emphasized the need to prevent further escalation.
Sunak’s visit to Tel Aviv included a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which he reaffirmed the UK’s solidarity with Israel in its challenging times.
A summit on the future of the Palestinian issue, attended by Arab and UN leaders, is scheduled to take place in Egypt on Saturday.
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