And it comes amid growing concern about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with calls to open aid corridors as the Israeli military prepares for the next phase of its campaign against Hamas following last Saturday’s incursion.
At least 1,400 people were killed, thousands more injured and almost 200 taken hostage when Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel on October 7, the most deadly attack by the group in decades.
Since then at least 2,778 Palestinians have died as Israel launched retaliatory air strikes on Gaza and cut off fuel, water, food and medical supplies from entering the cramped territory, which is home to more than two million people.
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Mr Biden is travelling to Israel on Wednesday amid concerns the conflict could spiral into a wider regional issue.
As part of his trip the US president will also meet King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also travelled to Israel for an impromptu visit on Tuesday, while French President Emmanuel Macron said he will travel to the region “as soon as I consider that we have a useful agenda and very concrete actions to drive forward”.
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9:51
Former CIA Director General David Petraeus assesses the impact of President Biden visiting Israel.
Downing Street would not comment publicly on whether Mr Sunak would head to the region.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We’ll set out travel plans in the usual way, I couldn’t get into speculation.”
However in an update on the conflict earlier on Tuesday, Number 10 said Mr Sunak had held calls with the leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia when it was agreed that the conflict “must not be allowed to destabilise the wider region and cause further bloodshed”.
They also held conversations on efforts to free Britons taken hostage by Hamas, and on ensuring safe passage for aid to Gaza.
At least six Britons were killed in the Hamas attacks, with a further 10 missing – some feared dead.
British officials are working to secure the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow Britons to flee to Egypt and for humanitarian aid to get into Gaza.
A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of two children in Stafford.
Police were called to a home on Corporation Street at around 7.30am on Sunday by West Midlands Ambulance Service.
Two children were pronounced dead at the scene, StaffordshirePolice said.
Detective Inspector Kirsty Oldfield said: “We are working hard to understand more about what happened leading up to these two children tragically losing their lives.
“We ask that people do not speculate at this stage as it is distressing for family and friends and could hinder our inquiries.
“We understand that this incident may cause concern in the local community. We don’t believe there is wider threat to the public at this time.”
The 43-year-old woman, who is from the Stafford area, remains in custody.
The force has not confirmed the ages of the two children. Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers, police said.
A man has been charged with stalking and possession of a flick knife after allegedly targeting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and his family.
Inigo Rowland, 58, of Surbiton, south London, was arrested last Monday, but it was only made public on Sunday.
He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody, the Met Police said.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between June and October.
Sir Ed, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, lives in southwest London with his wife, Emily, their 17-year-old son John, and his younger sister Ellie.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “Inigo Rowland, 58, of Surbiton has been charged with stalking and possession of a flick knife.
“He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 7 October and was remanded into custody. He will next appear at the same court on Tuesday, 14 October.
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“He was arrested on Monday, 6 October in relation to the offences, which are alleged to have taken place between June and October.”
A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “We cannot provide any details at this time, Ed’s number one priority is the safety of his family.”
Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison.
Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year jail term for multiple sexual offences, including serious crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.
He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources have confirmed.
West Yorkshire Police said two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Image: A police van outside Wakefield prison. Pic: YappApp
Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene after prison staff reported the assault to police.
The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.
A Prison Service spokesperson said they could not comment while the police investigate.
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Watkins was previously stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023, suffering non life-threatening injuries after he was reportedly taken hostage by three other inmates before being freed by prison officers six hours later.
He was sentenced in December 2013to 29 years in prison, with a further six years on licence, after admitting 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.
He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child sexual abuse videos, some of which he had made himself.
At the time, police described him as a “committed, organised paedophile”.
Having found fame in Welsh rock band Lostprophets, Watkins was arrested after his Pontypridd home was searched on orders of a drug warrant in September 2012.
A large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized during the search.
When sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, the singer was told he was being given an extended sentence – and a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity”.