UK's Cleverly to meet Middle East foreign ministers to discuss Gaza, southern Israel

Israel struck Gaza in response to a cross-border Hamas raid on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which gunmen killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Palestinian officials said 10,569 people had been killed as of Wednesday, 40% of them children, in Israel's military operation to wipe out Hamas.

British Foreign Minister James Cleverly on Thursday arrived in Saudi Arabia to drive diplomatic efforts to find a resolution to the conflict in Gaza and southern Israel, the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement.

Cleverly will meet with foreign ministers from the Middle East and will discuss efforts to prevent wider regional escalation, including in Lebanon and Yemen. Cleverly will also discuss initiatives to increase the volume of aid reaching civilians in besieged Gaza, including medicines, fuel and water, and ensure a pipeline of funds and supplies to support the relief effort, the statement added.

The minister is set to reaffirm Britain's support for humanitarian pauses in the fighting as soon as possible to deliver aid and open a window for hostages, including British nationals, to be released. "I will continue this essential work in Saudi Arabia where I will meet with a number of my counterparts in the region to explore how we achieve those aims quickly and also look to the future of a lasting, peaceful, and prosperous two-state solution for both Israelis and Palestinians" Cleverly said.

Israeli forces and Hamas militants appeared to be battling at close range in Gaza City as thousands of civilians fled south on Wednesday to avoid being trapped in the conflict. Israel struck Gaza in response to a cross-border Hamas raid on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which gunmen killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took about 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Palestinian officials said 10,569 people had been killed as of Wednesday, 40% of them children, in Israel's military operation to wipe out Hamas.