PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel [December 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 5 December 2023.
The Prime Minister spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this afternoon. He expressed disappointment about the breakdown of the pause in fighting in Gaza, which had allowed hostages to be released. The leaders discussed urgent efforts to ensure all remaining hostages are safely freed and to allow any remaining British nationals in Gaza to leave.
The Prime Minister offered an update on his engagement with leaders in the Middle East and reiterated his public remarks in the region last week, stressing the need for Israel to take greater care to protect civilians in Gaza and focus narrowly on military targets.
The Prime Minister said more humanitarian aid had to be allowed to enter Gaza, where civilians were in desperate need. He reiterated offers of practical UK support to facilitate deliveries of life-saving aid. He noted the pressure on the Rafah crossing point and pressed the need to explore other routes into Gaza, including via Kerem Shalom.
The leaders shared their concerns about increasing attacks by Houthi militants, supported by Iran, against commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea. The Prime Minister stressed the UK’s commitment to freedom of navigation and highlighted the deployment this week of HMS Diamond, a Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer, to bolster deterrence in the region and keep trade routes flowing. He also said the UK would continue to support efforts to de-escalate tensions and address the threat on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Finally, the Prime Minister welcomed commitments to address extremist settler violence and intimidation, which was destabilising the situation in the West Bank.
