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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo on Friday.
UK PM further noted the need for aid to be allowed into Gaza and for Hamas and Israel to avoid civilian casualties in their conflict.
Also Read: Israel-Hamas War LIVE Updates
During the talks Sunak stressed the imperative of avoiding a wider regional conflict and preventing any further unnecessary loss of civilian life, his office said.
“We’ve also made good progress on tangible areas like ensuring access for humanitarian aid to those who need it,” Sunak told broadcasters in Cairo, as reported by Reuters.
“Meeting with President Abbas today I expressed my condolences for the loss of civilian lives in Gaza, including at the Al Ahli hospital. We know Hamas doesn’t speak for the Palestinian people. The UK supports the Palestinian Authority in trying to establish stability,” tweeted Rishi Sunak.
“When this crisis unfolded, one thing we have prioritised consistently is getting the Rafah crossing (open). It’s been a feature of all my conversations, and I’m very pleased that that will now imminently happen,” Sunak said.
“(Sisi) and I had a good discussion about how the UK can provide practical assistance on the ground to ensure the sustainability of that aid through the crossing.”
Also Read: Israel asks ground troops to ‘get organised, be ready’ to enter Gaza
Sunak’s agenda also included a visit to Jerusalem on Thursday to express his solidarity with Israel and to engage in negotiations aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. Subsequently, he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, where he encouraged bin Salman to utilize Saudi Arabia’s leadership role in the region to promote stability.
In Friday’s talks with Abbas, Sunak’s office said he expressed “deep condolences” for the loss of civilian lives in Gaza, including the destruction of the hospital.
“(The leaders) condemned Hamas’ terrorism and stressed that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. The Prime Minister underscored his commitment to opening up humanitarian access to Gaza,” the statement added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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Updated: 21 Oct 2023, 08:12 AM IST
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