Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his support for Israel and stressed the importance of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two held talks on Thursday. Sunak is the third leader from the Group of Seven nations to visit Israel since the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched a large-scale attack on the country. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden preceded him.

The British government said Sunak underscored the UK's firm belief in Israel's right to self-defense in accordance with international humanitarian law. He also reportedly emphasized the importance of establishing sustained access to get more aid into Gaza.

In a news conference after the meeting, Netanyahu said, "This is our darkest hour. It's the world's darkest hour." He added that "this is a long war and we'll need your continuous support."

Sunak said he supports Israel's right to take back hostages and strengthen the country's security for the long term. He also expressed hope that aid to Gaza will be increased and delivered as quickly as possible.

About 50,000 to 60,000 British nationals are believed to be in Israel and Gaza.

Sunak posted a photo on social media of him hugging a woman whose child has been taken hostage. He commented, "Working with our partners, we're determined to secure the release of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists."

Sunak will also visit Saudi Arabia. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has been on a tour of Egypt and other nations. The British government is hoping to prevent the fighting from spreading by working with those countries.