70,000 Metric Tons of Saudi Oil Derivatives Grant Arrive in Aden

 Yemeni officials during the reception of a new shipment of the Saudi oil derivatives grant provided to Yemen. (SABA)
Yemeni officials during the reception of a new shipment of the Saudi oil derivatives grant provided to Yemen. (SABA)
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70,000 Metric Tons of Saudi Oil Derivatives Grant Arrive in Aden

 Yemeni officials during the reception of a new shipment of the Saudi oil derivatives grant provided to Yemen. (SABA)
Yemeni officials during the reception of a new shipment of the Saudi oil derivatives grant provided to Yemen. (SABA)

The second batch of the oil derivatives grant provided by Saudi Arabia through the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen (SDRPY) arrived on Saturday at the oil port in Aden.

This comes in line with the Kingdom's efforts to support the electricity sector, improve livelihood opportunities and back the legitimate government.

The shipment was carrying 40,000 tons of diesel and 30,000 tons of mazut. It is part of the grant agreement signed by the SDRPY in September with an estimated total value of $200 million to provide 250,000 metric tons of oil derivatives to Yemen to operate more than 70 power generation plants in the country.

The new oil derivatives are an extension of previous grants totaling $4.2 billion, the latest of which was a grant of $422 million that was completed over a year.

Director of SDRPY office in Aden Ahmed Madkhali reviewed the contributions of oil grants to the country’s economic stability, annual budget and improved general conditions and services.

He said they helped the Electricity Corporation provide the service to 760,000 subscribers and about 9.8 million beneficiaries.

In this context, Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Eng. Abdullah Hajar hailed the Kingdom’s support for Yemen in various stages and fields.

He underscored the importance of the Saudi grant and its direct contribution to stabilizing the electric power system and allowing large number of citizens to enjoy this service.

He pointed to the damage caused by the Iranian-backed Houthi militias’ targeting of the vital oil facilities and ports in Hadramout and Shabwa governorates.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity Abdul Hakim Fadel, for his part, praised the Kingdom’s continued generous support to Yemen in various fields, including electricity.

He affirmed that the Saudi oil grants helped the Ministry and its institutions provide the service and saved the government large sums that were allocated to buy oil derivatives.



Israel Sends Negotiators to Cairo to Extend Phase-one of Gaza Ceasefire

 Freed Palestinian prisoners gesture out of the windows as they arrive in a bus after being released from an Israeli jail as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Freed Palestinian prisoners gesture out of the windows as they arrive in a bus after being released from an Israeli jail as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
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Israel Sends Negotiators to Cairo to Extend Phase-one of Gaza Ceasefire

 Freed Palestinian prisoners gesture out of the windows as they arrive in a bus after being released from an Israeli jail as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Freed Palestinian prisoners gesture out of the windows as they arrive in a bus after being released from an Israeli jail as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

Israel announced on Thursday it was sending negotiators to Cairo for talks, seeking to extend a first phase of a ceasefire due to expire in two days, in the apparent aim of securing the release of more hostages while delaying any final deal on Gaza's future.

The announcement came after Hamas handed over four bodies of hostages, the last due to be released under the terms of the six-week first phase of the ceasefire that started on January 19. Talks have yet to begin on a second phase that would ultimately lead to a permanent end to the war.

Israel Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters in Jerusalem the delegation would travel to Egypt to see whether there was common ground to negotiate an extension to the truce.

"We said we are ready to make the framework longer in return to release more hostages. If it is possible, we'll do that."

Two government officials told Reuters that Israel was seeking to extend the initial phase, with Hamas freeing three hostages each week in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.

The warring sides have not spelled out what would happen beyond Saturday if the first phase of the ceasefire expires with no agreement. Egypt and Qatar are mediating between Israel and Hamas, with the backing of the United States.

The initial phase of the ceasefire included the handover of 33 Israeli hostages in return for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli jails. Fighting was paused and Israeli troops withdrew from some positions in Gaza.

Talks over the second phase, intended to secure the release of the remaining hostages and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, had been meant to start earlier this month.

Israel's government faces public pressure to stick to the ceasefire to free remaining hostages, while some within the right-wing government want to return to war to fulfil their objective of eradicating Hamas.