James Cleverly touches down in Israel as Foreign Secretary shows UK's 'unwavering solidarity'
James Cleverly has touched down in Israel as a sign of the UK's "unwavering solidarity" with the war-torn nation, the Foreign Office said.
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James Cleverly touched down in Israel this afternoon as a sign of the UK's "unwavering solidarity" with the war-torn nation, the Foreign Office said.
The visit is a show of support in the wake of devastating attacks by terrorist organisation Hamas.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “The Foreign Secretary has arrived in Israel today to demonstrate the UK’s unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people following Hamas’s terrorist attacks.
“He will be meeting survivors of the attacks and senior Israeli leaders to outline UK support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”
WATCH: James Cleverly discusses the Israel-Hamas conflict
The Foreign Secretary has been vocal in his condemnation of Hamas, which launched a devastating attack on Israel.
Hamas launched the surprise assault on Israel on Saturday morning, attacking towns and army bases in the south of the country.
In response, Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza, declaring a "complete siege" of the area.
Hamas has threatened to kill Israeli hostages if they continue to bomb the area without prior warning.
As many as 900 people have reportedly been killed in Israel, while 650 are said to have been killed in Gaza.
More than 100 hostages have been taken by Hamas, Israel's foreign ministry has declared.
In response to Hamas's attacks on Israel, the country has warned Gaza is going to be razed to the ground.
Israeli military officials said they have constructed an "iron wall of tanks, helicopters and aircraft” around Gaza in the wake of the attack, cutting off food, water and electricity to the region.
Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Cleverly said Hamas has "made the plight of the Palestinian people immeasurably worse because of these terrorist actions that they have perpetrated against children, against civilians, against old people within Israel.
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“Hamas are causing the pain and suffering both in Israel and in Gaza."
He also called out the BBC for failing to call Hamas terrorists.
Cleverly said: "Hamas, which is a terrorist organisation – I just want to make sure you recognise that in your reporting, these are not militants, they are terrorists.
“The murders that they have perpetrated in Israel, the kidnaps they have perpetrated and the threats of summary executions that will be televised and broadcast – these are all terrorist attacks and I would urge you to reflect that in your reporting.”