Gaza/Sana, March 9 — Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has given Israel a four-day deadline to allow humanitarian
aid into Gaza or face renewed naval attacks, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported.
“We give the entire world notice: We are granting a four-day deadline,” the group’s leader, Abdel-Malik al-Houthi, said in a video statement.
This deadline is to allow for mediators to continue their efforts. If, after these four days, the Israeli enemy persists in preventing the entry of aid into Gaza, maintains the complete closure of crossings, and continues to block the entry of food and medicine into Gaza, we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy,” he said
Hamas welcomed the ultimatum, urging the international community and the UN to act as Israel’s “starvation crime” targets civilians in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.
Since November 2023, Houthis in Yemen have launched missile and drone strikes on Israeli targets and Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea, citing solidarity with Gaza.
The naval attacks
disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa.
Israel halted humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza on Sunday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to advance negotiations on the second phase of a proposed ceasefire deal with Hamas.
At least 48,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, with the Government Media Office raising the toll to more than 61,700 after many others presumed dead under rubble. On the Israeli side, 1,139 people were killed in the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.