Live Updates: Biden calls Israel's Gaza response 'over the top'

Friday, February 9, 2024

05:30 GMT - Biden calls Israel's Gaza response 'over the top'

Israel's military response in besieged Gaza to the October 7 surprise blitz by Hamas has been "over the top," US President Joe Biden said.

"I'm of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in Gaza, in the Gaza Strip, has been over the top," the 81-year-old Democrat told reporters at the White House.

"I've been pushing really hard, really hard to get humanitarian assistance into Gaza."

04:40 GMT - US strikes Houthi missile positions in Yemen: CENTCOM

The United States military has confirmed its forces conducted multiple strikes against Houthi missile systems.

Beginning early Thursday Sanaa time, US Central Command forces "conducted seven self-defence strikes against four Houthi unmanned surface vessels [USV] and seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," CENTCOM said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"CENTCOM identified these missiles and USVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to US Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," it said.

04:00 GMT - UK minister says devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza 'unfolding before our very eyes'

Britain's minister for the Middle East Lord Tariq Ahmad pointed to the "growing humanitarian crisis" in besieged Gaza in remarks before the House of Lords, saying the suffering is unfolding "before our very eyes."

"What is very clear [is that] ordinary people are suffering. Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. Indeed, it's unfolding before our very eyes," Lord Ahmad told those present.

Member of the House of Lords Baroness Hussein-Ece reminded that more than 27,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, and compared to the number of Israelis killed on October 7, she said it is at least 20 times higher and more than 200 times as many children.

03:38 GMT - Saudi Arabia hosts meeting of Arab foreign ministers on Gaza

Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to consult on developments in besieged Gaza.

"Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan received Arab ministers participating in the consultative ministerial meeting on events in Gaza," the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X, without providing further details.

The ministry shared images of bin Farhan receiving his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and United Arab Emirates counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in addition to the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein al-Sheikh.

For our live updates from Thursday, February 8, click here.