ALBAWABA - The leader of the Houthi organization, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, has issued a four-day ultimatum to Israel and insisted that aid reach Gaza immediately. If Israel continues to block the delivery of food and medicine, he vowed to restart naval attacks in the Red Sea.
In an Al-Masirah TV program, al-Houthi said, "We are giving mediators four days to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid." If Israel keeps blocking food and medicine from getting to Gaza, we will relaunch naval operations against its vessels."
The warning comes as efforts to implement the next phases of the ceasefire agreement that ended the 15-month-long fighting in Gaza have come to a standstill.
Israel stopped sending humanitarian aid to the enclave on March 2, 2025, ending the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which had been in force for 42 days since January 19. Hamas vehemently denounced the operation and accused Israel of violating the terms of the deal.
The blockade has been widely condemned, and humanitarian organizations have warned of dire consequences for Gaza's already suffering people.
Prior to the agreement, the Houthis often assaulted Israeli-affiliated commercial ships in the Arabian and Red Seas. They also targeted Israeli regions with rockets and drones as part of their aid for Gaza.
Just a few days before to the fresh danger posed by the Houthis, the United States re-designated the group as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" and sanctioned seven of its key leaders.
Tensions are rising, and everyone is watching Israel's next move as the compliance deadline approaches.
