Oman Mediates US-Houthi Ceasefire

Oman on Tuesday announced that its mediatory efforts led to a ceasefire between the US and Houthis in Yemen, after President Donald Trump said the group will not be carrying out attacks on commercial ships.

“Following recent discussions and contacts conducted by the Sultanate of Oman with the United States and the relevant authorities in Sana’a, in the Republic of Yemen, with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides,” Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a statement on X.

“In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping,” he added.

Expressing appreciation for both parties’ cooperation, Albusaidi said: “The Sultanate of Oman expresses its gratitude to both parties for their constructive approach that led to this welcome outcome, and hopes that it will lead to further progress on many regional issues towards achieving justice, peace, and prosperity for all.”

Houthis started attacking shipping lanes in the Red and Arabian seas after Israel’s war in Gaza, in solidarity with the Palestinians.

In March, Trump launched a military operation against the Yemeni group.

Earlier, during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House, Trump said Houthis informed them they will not be carrying out additional attacks on commercial ships, and the US will reciprocate by halting attacks on Yemen, according to Anadolu.

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Famine: Hundreds of Thousands Eat Every 2-3 Days in Gaza

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians eat only one meal every two or three days amid a crippling Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday.

“More than 66,000 children in Gaza are suffering from severe malnutrition,” UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna told Al-Ghad TV in an interview.

Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza’s crossings closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid, deepening an already humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights, and international reports.

Figures released by Gaza’s government media office showed that at least 57 Palestinians have died of starvation since October 2023.

Nearly 2.4 million people in Gaza live completely dependent on humanitarian aid, according to World Bank data.

“UNRWA will not be part of the new Israeli plan” for aid distribution in Gaza, as the plan “doesn’t adhere to UN standards at all,” Abu Hasna said.

On Sunday night, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved a plan to distribute aid in the blockaded enclave through private security contractors.

The plan, however, was rejected by the UN and dozens of international aid groups, saying it runs against humanitarian principles, is logistically unworkable, and could put Palestinian civilians and staffers in harm’s way.

The UN Humanitarian Country Team in Gaza said on Sunday night that it “can only support plans that respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, independence, and impartiality,” according to Anadolu.

More than 52,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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Bomb Food Warehouses, Starve Them Says Extremist Israeli Minister

Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu late on Monday called for the bombing of Gaza food warehouses and for starving Palestinians in Gaza, in the latest Israeli inflammatory statements against Gaza which endures ongoing Israeli genocide.

“There is no problem in bombing Hamas’ food reserves,” the extremist minister told the Israeli Channel 7 during an interview.

“They need to starve. If there are civilians who fear for their lives, they should go through the emigration plan,” he also said.

“The moment it becomes hard for them, it will also be hard for Hamas. There is no problem bombing Hamas’s fuel and food reserves,” Eliyahu added, who belongs to the extremist Jewish Strength (Otzma Yehudit) party of hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Eliyahu went on to say that entering aid into Gaza has no connection with “the Jewish ethics,” claiming that they must not “feed those who fight us.”

“When life becomes difficult for civilians, it will be too for Hamas,” he also said.

In November 2023, Eliyahu, who has extremist rhetoric against Palestinians, said dropping a “nuclear bomb” on the Gaza Strip is “an option.”

On Monday, Ben-Gvir reaffirmed his insistence on starving Palestinians in Gaza as part of the ongoing genocidal war.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, Ben-Gvir said “the only aid that should enter Gaza is for the purpose of voluntary migration,” a clear expression of a deportation agenda aimed at emptying the enclave of its indigenous population under the cover of the genocidal war.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called to “take over” Gaza and resettle its population to develop it into a tourist destination. His plan was rejected by the Arab world and many other nations, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Israeli estimates suggest that 59 captives remain in Gaza, with 24 believed alive. In contrast, more than 9,500 Palestinians remain imprisoned in Israel under harsh conditions, including reports of torture, starvation and medical neglect, according to Palestinian and Israeli rights organizations.

More than 52,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave according to Anadolu.

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France Condemns Re-occupation of Gaza

French foreign minister “firmly” condemned on Tuesday Israel’s new plan to fully occupy Gaza Strip.

“It is a very firm condemnation, because it goes against international law,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke to the broadcaster RTL.

Barrot noted that Israel’s recently announced plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip and take control of all humanitarian aid is “not acceptable.”

“The urgent priority is, of course, a ceasefire, but also the massive and unhindered access of humanitarian aid, because the Gaza Strip—the Palestinians living there—are lacking in a dramatic way,” he added.

Barrot reaffirmed that they are working to defend the international humanitarian law alongside other countries.

“Even when there is war, we respect a certain number of rules: we do not target civilians, we do not attack humanitarian workers, and we ensure that humanitarian aid can always reach the people,” he said, reiterating the need to respect the “integrity” of laws of war.

Barrot further highlighted the risk of famine in Gaza, calling for an access to humanitarian aid.

“France calls on Israel to implement a ceasefire, to allow humanitarian aid to reach the population within the enclave of Gaza,” he added.

Barrot also confirmed that France could recognize the State of Palestine once the other countries do the same and commitments are made according to Anadolu.

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