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Grundberg Leaves Sanaa without Commenting on Houthi Conditions for Extending Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Grundberg Leaves Sanaa without Commenting on Houthi Conditions for Extending Truce

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg - Asharq Al-Awsat

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded on Thursday a one-day visit to Yemen’s Houthi-run capital, Sanaa. During his visit, Grundberg met with the head of the Houthi ruling council, Mahdi al-Mashat.

Grundberg left Sanaa without commenting on the conditions placed by Houthis on expanding the humanitarian and military truce in Yemen, which expires next Sunday.

The UN-brokered truce between the Yemeni government and Iran-backed Houthi militias went into force on April 2 and was later renewed twice through Oct. 2.

Currently, the UN is racing against time to persuade the Yemeni warring parties to extend the truce for an extra six months.

In addition to extending the cease-fire agreement, the United Nations also seeks to expand its provisions.

Fears are growing regarding Grundberg’s inability to convince Houthis of his plan to expand and improve the terms of the armistice.

Nevertheless, western and US diplomats hope that the UN envoy will succeed in his mission.

Paving the way for launching talks and reaching a comprehensive settlement for the conflict in Yemen hinges on Grundberg’s success in convincing the Houthis.

Houthi media reported that al-Mashat met Grundberg and his accompanying delegation.

“UN efforts to expand the truce were discussed during the meeting,” they affirmed.

According to the Houthi version of the official Saba News Agency, al-Mashat reviewed with Grundberg Houthi demands for the payment of employee salaries and pensions and the abolition of restrictions on Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah.

Grundberg was told the rebels would “not accept the expansion” unless the salaries of all state employees and the pensions of retired state staff were paid.

Before heading to Sanaa, the UN envoy had visited Riyadh and met with the leaders of the internationally recognized government and Saudi officials. He also paid a visit to Oman to meet there with Omani officials.

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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.