Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has landed in Egypt as his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East continue amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Mr Sunak was pictured greeting president of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with whom he is due to have talks. Egypt shares a border with both Israel and Gaza.
Downing Street said the UK’s "priority” is to focus on the opening of the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only border point not controlled by Tel Aviv, to allow humanitarian aid to enter and for British nationals to leave the bombarded territory.
Egypt is reportedly set to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza on Friday for the first time since Israel mounted a full blockade of the border in retaliation for the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in 1,400 civilian deaths.
Israeli earlier on Friday began evacuating the sizeable town of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion that could trigger regional turmoil.
Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in Khan Younis in the south, where Palestinians had been told to seek safety. More than 4,100 people have been killed in Gaza in subsequent Israeli airstrikes.
