Britain will deploy two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel and reinforce regional stability, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's office said Thursday.
Maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft will begin flying in the region from Friday to track threats to regional stability, Sunak's office said.
Sunak said the deployment would "support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation" in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
"We must be unequivocal in making sure the types of horrific scenes we have seen this week will not be repeated," he said in a statement.
"Alongside our allies, the deployment of our world class military will support efforts to ensure regional stability and prevent further escalation."
The military package, which includes P8 surveillance planes, other surveillance assets, two auxiliary ships, three Merlin helicopters and a company of Royal Marines, will be on standby in the region.
The conflict began after the Palestinian resistance group Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.
Hamas said the offensive was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers' growing violence against Palestinians.
In response, the Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron and initiated a massive bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip.
Israel's campaign has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.
More than 2,700 people have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict on Saturday, including over 1,400 Palestinians and 1,300 Israelis.
