Readout of the Prime Minister's call with the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

“The Prime Minister spoke to the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, this afternoon.

“Their discussions focused on the conflict in Gaza following Hamas’ terror attack, and the Prime Minister welcomed Saudi Arabia’s leadership in seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

“The leaders agreed on the importance of avoiding further destabilisation across the Middle East, including through Iranian proxies in the region, and committed to coordinate action to deescalate tensions.

“The Prime Minister set out the UK’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terror and combat the threat from Hamas. He confirmed the UK would provide further humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza and continue to support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to statehood, alongside regional partners like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

“The leaders also discussed wider cooperation between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, including in the areas of defence, trade and investment.”