BICOM

Foreign Minister William Hague said on Thursday that Hamas bears ‘principal responsibility’ for the current crisis in Gaza and southern Israel. He said the government ‘deeply regrets’ the loss of civilian life in the conflict and called for Hamas to cease attacks. He also called on  ‘those in the region with influence over Hamas to use that influence to bring about an end to the attacks.’

Meanwhile, in an unprecedented move, Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi sent his Prime Minister Hesham Kandil to visit Gaza on Friday morning in a show of solidarity. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a temporarily cease-fire during the visit, if the Palestinians agreed to halt their attacks. Egypt has also reportedly increased its troop presence along its border with Israel, in order to prevent any terrorist activity spilling over from the Sinai.

The intensification of the conflict between Israel and Gaza places the new Egyptian government in an uncomfortable position. Whilst ideologically in sympathy with Hamas, its interests are to bring about a quick return to calm in the area, to avoid violence in the Sinai and unrest on the streets of Cairo. Mursi’s government will also be under considerable pressure from the US and other Western states to try and bring about a ceasefire.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon plans to visit Israel on Tuesday in an effort to bring about a ceasefire.

In a separate development Jewish communal leaders from across the spectrum in the UK sent a letter to Israel via Israel’s Ambassador Daniel Taub yesterday, supporting the ‘entirely understandable response to the intolerable assault upon the citizens of Southern Israel and the continued provocations of Hamas.’ An anti-Israel demonstration outside the ambassador’s residence in London yesterday was met by a pro-Israel counter demonstration.