Rishi Sunak, who is on a two-day trip to the Middle East, also stopped off in Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Speaking as he arrived at the airport in Tel Aviv, Mr Sunak 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.

"I am looking forward to my meetings later today with the prime minister and president. And I very much hope that they will be productive meetings."

Israel-Gaza latest: Protests spread around Middle East

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

Mr Netanyahu embraced Mr Sunak as the pair met, and Mr Sunak could be heard saying: "Hello my friend, very good to see you."

After their meeting, the pair held a brief news conference, in which Mr Netanyahu thanked Mr Sunak for his support.

Mr Netanyahu said the current situation will be "a long war", and Israel will "need" the UK's "continual support".

Mr Sunak said he welcomed the opening of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza.

He added that he knew Israel was "taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians - in contrast to the terrorists of Hamas".

Mr Sunak said he was "proud" to stand with Israel in its "darkest hour".

The prime minister later told broadcasters that it was important the conflict between Israel and Hamas does not escalate "regionally" - adding that Hamas represents "pure evil".

Mr Sunak is meeting with counterparts from across the Middle East, amid the rising tension in the region.

After leaving Israel, he flew into Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, where he met with Prince Mohammed - also known as MBS.

The oil-rich nation had been on the verge of normalising its relationship with Israel prior to the recent conflict with Hamas - a peace deal Mr Netanyahu said in September would create a "new Middle East".

However, Mr Sunak was criticised last month when it was announced he was planning to meet MBS.

Saudi Arabia has faced criticism for human rights violations and ongoing concern about the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

US intelligence services said the 2018 murder of the Washington Post columnist was likely approved by the prince - a claim he has denied.

The kingdom has also faced accusations of human rights abuses, including imprisonment without trial and mass execution of critics.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Sunak wrote: "I've landed in Saudi Arabia.

"As an international community, we must not let Hamas' terror attack become a catalyst for a terrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

"We will work together to ensure regional stability and prevent a dangerous escalation."

A Downing Street spokesperson said on Mr Sunak's trip to the Middle East: "The prime minister met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel today.

"He expressed the deep condolences of the British people for the terrible loss of life that has occurred in Israel. He underscored the UK's firm belief in Israel's right to self-defence in accordance with international humanitarian law, as they work to end the threat of Hamas and secure the freedom of hundreds of Israeli hostages.

"The prime minister thanked Prime Minister Netanyahu for his support for the British nationals who have been taken by Hamas and both leaders agreed to work closely together to secure their freedom.

"The prime minister welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu's announcement yesterday on opening up aid access to Gaza. He emphasised the importance of establishing sustained access to get more vital food, water, medicine and fuel into Gaza and to enable British nationals trapped there to leave.

"Both leaders underscored the need to prevent any regional escalation in the conflict and the importance of restoring peace and stability to the region."

Read more:
Number of displaced in Gaza reaches new high
What is the two-state solution?

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is also in the region.

Mr Cleverly posted on social media that he was heading to Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, where his goals were: "Secure the release of British hostages. Stop the violence spreading to the region. Ensure emergency aid can get into Gaza."

Poverty-fighting charity Oxfam, which launched an appeal for peace in the region, sided with Mr Sunak on the "safe return of all hostages in Gaza" but said his failure to call for ceasefire was "wrong".

Katy Chakrabortty, Oxfam's head of advocacy said: "The humanitarian situation within Gaza is now reaching catastrophic levels - with more than 3,000 Palestinians dead, what further evidence does he need that any precautions to protect civilians are not working?

"The aid allowed represents less than a fifth of that Gaza received every day before the crisis.

"Wanting Israel to 'win' is not a helpful statement. Nobody wins when the scale of human suffering, devastation and pain is so vast and relentless."

The visits come following the explosion at the al Ahli hospital in Gaza City, where hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge in the wake of Hamas's deadly surprise attack on 7 October.

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 group and released imagery and communications intercepts to support their case.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

US President Joe Biden also 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.