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Head of Houthi Delegation to Asharq Al-Awsat: Peace is Our First Option

Mohammed Abdulsalam sits to the right of the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad Al Jaber, during the Saudi delegation’s visit to Sanaa in April. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Mohammed Abdulsalam sits to the right of the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad Al Jaber, during the Saudi delegation’s visit to Sanaa in April. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Head of Houthi Delegation to Asharq Al-Awsat: Peace is Our First Option

Mohammed Abdulsalam sits to the right of the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad Al Jaber, during the Saudi delegation’s visit to Sanaa in April. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Mohammed Abdulsalam sits to the right of the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad Al Jaber, during the Saudi delegation’s visit to Sanaa in April. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Mohammad Abdulsalam, chief negotiator of the Houthi delegation to Saudi Arabia, said that peace is the group’s first option, expressing his hope that the Riyadh discussions will lead to tangible progress on all humanitarian, military and political matters, in a way that achieves peace and stability in Yemen, neighboring countries and the region.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdulsalam noted that the Houthi negotiation team’s visit to the Saudi capital comes in continuation of previous discussions that took place with the Saudi delegation in Muscat and Sanaa.

The Houthi delegation arrived in Riyadh on Thursday evening, accompanied by Omani representatives, as part of efforts to end the war and achieve peace in Yemen.

Asked whether he was optimistic about the results of the current negotiations, Abdulsalam replied: “We are always optimistic... Peace is a basic demand for us and the first option that we are working on.”

For its part, the Yemeni government welcomed the Saudi-Omani efforts, and the UN and international endeavor to push the Houthi militias towards dealing seriously with calls for peace and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni population.

In a statement on Friday, the government stressed that it would maintain its open approach to all initiatives aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive peace, in accordance with the three terms of reference and in a way that ensures an end to the coup and the restoration of state institutions, and guarantees security, stability and development in Yemen.

On Thursday, Saudi Arabia announced that it had invited a delegation from Sanaa to visit Riyadh, within the framework of the Saudi initiative announced in March 2021.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan welcomed on Friday the first official visit of a Houthi delegation to the Kingdom.

“This is the first official visit by Houthi representatives to Riyadh since the war in Yemen began nearly a decade ago. It comes after nearly 18 straight months of calm that began after a UN-mediated truce first went into effect on April 2, 2022,” he stated.

Sullivan added: “We commend the leadership of Saudi Arabia for this current initiative and thank the leadership of Oman for its important role. We call on all parties to this terrible conflict to further solidify and expand on the benefits of the truce that has brought a measure of peace to the Yemeni people, and ultimately bring this war to an end.”

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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.