UN Envoy: Houthis Rejected Updated Proposal to Reopen Routes to Taiz

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Sanaa Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Sanaa Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
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UN Envoy: Houthis Rejected Updated Proposal to Reopen Routes to Taiz

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Sanaa Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks to reporters upon his arrival at Sanaa Airport, in Sanaa, Yemen, 08 June 2022. (EPA)

The UN special envoy for Yemen said Monday he plans to explore the possibility of a longer and expanded truce with the country’s warring parties in the coming weeks.

Hans Grundberg said an extension could be a good step in moving toward a ceasefire in the country’s eight-year war. He didn’t provide details of the length or expansion he is seeking ahead of the Aug. 2 expiration of the current two-month truce extension.

Grundberg told the UN Security Council that renewing the truce would provide time and the opportunity to start serious discussions on Yemen's economy and security and to begin addressing priority issues such as revenues and payment of salaries.

"I ask the parties to engage with me on these issues with a sense of urgency and flexibility," he said.

The ceasefire between Yemen’s legitimate government and Iran-backed Houthi militias initially took effect April 2 and was extended on June 2. Though each side at times accused the other of violating the truce, it was the first nationwide halt in fighting in the past six years of the conflict.

"To date, the truce has been holding for over three months," Grundberg said.

Civilian casualties have been reduced by two-thirds, compared to the three months before the truce began, he said. And since the renewal of the truce June 2, seven fuel ships carrying nearly 200,000 metric tons of various fuel products have been cleared to enter Yemen’s main port of Hodeidah.

Since the start of the truce, 15 commercial round-trip flights have transported almost 7,000 passengers between Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and the Jordanian capital, Amman, Grundberg added. He said discussions are under way with Egyptian authorities about regular flights to Cairo.

Under the truce, the parties committed to meet to agree on road openings, including lifting the Houthis' ground blockade of Taiz, Yemen’s third largest city. Grundberg said the Houthis rejected the latest UN updated proposal on a phased opening but his efforts to reach a solution will continue.

"An agreement on road openings in Taiz and other governorates would be momentous, and its benefits would reverberate across Yemen," he said.

The UN envoy expressed concern at "worrisome escalatory rhetoric by the parties questioning the benefits of the truce" in recent weeks.

He called this "a dangerous move," urged the parties to halt such rhetoric, and warned that the alternative to the truce "is a return to hostilities and likely an intensified phase of conflict with all of its predictable consequences or Yemeni civilians and regional security."

Grundberg said the UN continues to receive reports from both sides about alleged incidents including direct and indirect fire, drone attacks, reconnaissance overflights and new fortifications.

"The parties are also allegedly sending reinforcements to main front lines including in Marib, Hodeidah and Taiz," he said.

Joyce Msuya , assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told the council that the Yemeni rial is still falling and "many more families are going hungry again."

But she said the UN World Food Program was forced to cut rations for millions of people several weeks ago because the UN appeal for $4.27 billion for humanitarian aid for Yemen this year has received just over $1.1 billion.

In addition, Msuya said, a UN verification and inspection system created in 2016 to facilitate vital commercial imports to Yemen is also running out of money and will shut down in September unless it gets $3.5 million to cover operations for the year's final months.



Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
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Hamas Rejects Trump Remarks on Gaza Talks Breakdown

Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)
Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at the Al-Nuseirat Camp, central Gaza, on February 22. (EPA)

Hamas officials expressed surprise on Saturday at US President Donald Trump's accusation that the group "didn't really want" a ceasefire and hostage release deal for Gaza.

Trump made the allegation of Friday a day after Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar that had lasted nearly three weeks.

"Trump's remarks are particularly surprising, especially as they come at a time when progress had been made on some of the negotiation files," Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

"So far, we have not been informed of any issues regarding the files under discussion in the indirect ceasefire negotiations", he added

Nunu, who is close to Hamas's most senior political officials, said he was "surprised" that Israel and the United States had left the talks.

Announcing the recall of US mediators on Thursday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not "acting in good faith".

Though not part of the Hamas negotiating team, Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq insisted the group had shown "flexibility" in the talks.

"The American statements deliberately ignore the real obstructionist to all agreements, Netanyahu's government, which continues to put obstacles, deceive and evade commitments," he said.

Both Hamas officials called on the United States to be more even-handed in its role as mediator in the quest for a ceasefire after more than 21 months of fighting.

"We call for an end to the US bias in favour of Netanyahu, who is obstructing any agreement", Nunu said.