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Griffiths Confirms De-escalation in Yemen’s War

FILE PHOTO - United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths attends a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
FILE PHOTO - United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths attends a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
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Griffiths Confirms De-escalation in Yemen’s War

FILE PHOTO - United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths attends a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
FILE PHOTO - United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths attends a meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

United Nations Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths said Friday that there has been a de-escalation in Yemen’s war in the past two week.

"In what is perhaps an even more important sign that something is changing in Yemen..., in the last two weeks the rate has dramatically reduced: there were almost 80 percent fewer air strikes nationwide than in the two weeks prior," Griffiths told the Security Council by video conference from his Amman office.

Referring to the Riyadh Agreement signed between the Yemeni government and the Southern Transitional Council, he described it as “perhaps a move towards an overall ceasefire in Yemen.”

Griffiths also said there was a strengthened ceasefire in the key port of Hodeidah but expressed concern over increasing movement restrictions by the Houthi militias on the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement.

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Hamas Armed Wing Says Fate of Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander Unknown

Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
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Hamas Armed Wing Says Fate of Israeli-American Hostage Edan Alexander Unknown

Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File
Signs and a photograph of Edan Alexander, the American-Israeli and Israel Defense Forces soldier taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, stand outside a Jewish community center in Alexander’s home town of Tenafly, New Jersey, US, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Stephani Spindel/File

Hamas's armed wing said on Saturday the fate of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander was unknown after the group found the guard who was holding the hostage killed.

On Tuesday, Hamas said it had lost contact with a group of its members holding Alexander in Gaza after the Israeli army attacked the place where the militants were holding him.

Alexander is a New Jersey native and a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army.

"We are trying to protect all the hostages and preserve their lives ... but their lives are in danger because of the criminal bombings by the enemy's army," the armed-wing Al-Qassam Brigades's spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, said, reiterating an accusation that Israel's army is to blame for the killing of hostages in the enclave, Reuters reported.

Israel has accused Hamas of killing hostages in its custody.

"The fate of the prisoner (hostage) and the rest of the captors remains unknown," Abu Ubaida added.

There was no immediate comment by the Israeli army on Hamas's statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to give a statement later on Saturday.

The release of Alexander was at the center of earlier talks held between Hamas leaders and US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler last month.

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House in March that gaining the release of Alexander, believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, was a "top priority".

Hamas so far released 38 hostages under a brief ceasefire that began on January 19.

Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza in March after ceasefire talks stalled, with both sides blaming one another for the failure to reach an agreement.

Israel says its offensive in Gaza aims to release the remaining 59 hostages, while Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.