SANAA/AMMAN/CAIRO - Yemen's Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, announced on Monday that his group is preparing military operations against Israeli-linked vessels if humanitarian aid does not reach Gaza within a four-day deadline he set last week.
"We stand by our deadline for the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and our armed forces are ready to execute operations," al-Houthi declared in a televised speech on the group's Al-Masirah TV channel.
The Houthi leader had previously issued a four-day ultimatum to mediators between Israel and Hamas to facilitate the resumption of aid deliveries to Gaza. This deadline is set to expire on Tuesday.
Israel has blocked aid shipments, including food, into Gaza since March 2, after the first 42-day phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire expired.
The Houthi group, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, has launched drone and rocket attacks against Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea and Israeli cities since November 2023, expressing support for Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
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In response, Israel has conducted retaliatory strikes targeting Houthi military sites in Sanaa and the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.
The Houthi attacks ceased following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. However, the group now threatens to resume operations if the blockade on Gaza is not lifted.
Halt in Gaza electricity supply
On Monday, Jordan's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israel's decision to halt the electricity supply to Gaza to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.
According to a ministry statement, Israel's decision is a clear continuation of its policy of starvation and blockade against the Palestinians.
It blatantly violates the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, as well as international law, and risks reigniting tensions in Gaza, read the statement.
The ministry urged the international community to compel Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, ensure the implementation of all its provisions, restore electricity to Gaza, and reopen the designated crossings for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of the besieged enclave, which is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
On Sunday, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a video statement that he had "just signed an order to immediately stop the supply of electricity to Gaza".
READ MORE: Gulf countries condemn Israel's Gaza aid blockade
Cohen stated the measure aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages still held in Gaza. According to Israeli figures, 59 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, around 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
"We will employ all available means to ensure the return of all hostages and guarantee that Hamas will not be in Gaza the day after (the conflict)," Cohen said.
Displacement of Palestinians
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his Tunisian counterpart Kais Saied reiterated their firm opposition to any efforts aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land or undermining their cause.
In a phone conversation, the leaders discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip, reviewing Egypt's initiatives to uphold the ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
The statement also said that Saied praised Egypt's reconstruction plan for Gaza, adopted at a recent emergency Arab summit with unanimous support. The Tunisian leader emphasized his country's backing for the plan, highlighting its goal to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents.
Both presidents underscored that establishing a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, remains the sole path to lasting regional peace.
READ MORE: Israel sets conditions for next phase of Gaza ceasefire deal
The conversation also addressed developments in Libya and Syria, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to the stability, unity, and sovereignty of these nations over their entire territories, according to the statement.
