Nine Britons killed in Hamas attack on Israel with seven still missing

The number of British people killed as a result of the Hamas attack on Israel has risen to nine, the prime minister’s spokesperson has said.

A further seven remain missing after the incursion from Gaza into Israel on 7 October, the spokesperson added.

Until yesterday, authorities said seven British nationals had been confirmed killed, with nine missing.

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“We can now confirm that at least nine British nationals were tragically killed,” the prime minister’s spokesperson told reporters on Thursday.

“A further seven British nationals are missing, some of whom are feared to be among the dead or kidnapped.”

Among the British nationals killed so far are a teenager, a soldier, people visiting Israel on holiday and a music festival security guard.

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In other developments in the Israel-Hamas war:

• Humanitarian aid was readied for the opening of the Rafah crossing from Egypt to Gaza
• The World Health Organisation said five lorries with aid supplies were ‘loaded and ready to go’
• Israel’s defence minister told troops: ‘You will soon see Gaza from inside’
• Air raid sirens sounded on Israel’s border with Lebanon

Sunak makes visit to Israel

Rishi Sunak made a visit to Israel on Thursday, where he held talks with the country’s prime minister and president.

Speaking as he arrived at the airport, he said: “I’m here to express my solidarity with the Israeli people.

“You have suffered an unspeakable, horrific act of terrorism and I want you to know that the United Kingdom, and I, stand with you.”

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Mr Sunak met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

After their meeting, Mr Netanyahu thanked Mr Sunak for his support and said he was “proud” to stand with Israel in its “darkest hour”.

He also welcomed the opening of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza.

Gaza under siege

Gaza is under siege and has been bombarded with airstrikes after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack.

Hamas militants captured 199 hostages and brought them back to Gaza as part of the attack. Israel said 1,400 of its citizens were killed in the weekend raid.

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The Gaza Health Ministry said 3,785 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, the majority of them women, children and older adults. Nearly 12,500 others have been injured.

The visits come following the explosion at the al Ahli hospital in Gaza City, where hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge following the outbreak of the conflict.

Hamas officials claimed the hospital blast killed hundreds of people and was caused by an Israeli airstrike – but the Israeli military blamed a misfiring rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group and released imagery and communications intercepts to support their case.

US President Joe Biden visited the region this week. He also spoke with Mr Netanyahu.

Mr Biden had been set to meet with Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders, but the summit was scrapped following the explosion at the hospital.

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