The Ansar Allah (Houthi) group declared an initiative on Monday to cease hostilities with the pro-government forces in the Taiz province. According to the Houthi-run Saba News Agency, Mahdi al-Mashat, the head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, said in a statement, "I present an initiative to end all military fronts from all parties in the Taiz province, contributing to the stability of the province." He added that the initiative "includes halting all military fronts in Taiz and neutralizing the province, managing it jointly by both parties." Civilians in Taiz say the implementation of such an initiative is not possible. The Houthi group has imposed a siege on Taiz City for nine years, closed all major roads leading to Taiz City, and rejected all proposals put forth by the United Nations or local mediators to open the roads.
The United Nations said that millions of Yemenis face daily challenges accessing food and water. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) explained in a brief statement on X, "On World Food Day, which falls on October 16 every year, let us remember the difficult humanitarian situation in Yemen." The statement added, "Obtaining food, or obtaining the necessary water for food production, is a daily challenge for millions." According to the United Nations, Yemen continues to be one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with approximately 21.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection this year.
On Tuesday, motorcycle drivers in the Al-Sheikh Othman district in Aden staged protests against the security authorities' decision to ban the use of motorcycles in the city. The angry protesters set tires on fire and blocked some roads in the city, creating traffic chaos. The protesters said that the decision has left many motorcycle drivers without jobs, as they have become unable to support their families. Perpetrators have used motorcycles to assassinate security, military, and social figures in Aden City.
Saudi Press Agency reported today that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan participated in a Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial meeting on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza Strip. The meeting, held in Muscat, was chaired by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi. Discussions covered developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly Israel's escalating military operations and the bombing of residential neighborhoods in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of at least 3,000 civilians in the besieged enclave. It also reviewed the risks facing the region due to the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.
The Health Ministry in Gaza said Tuesday that about 3,000 had been killed and more than 12,500 wounded. The death toll from the attacks has reached at least 1,400 in Israel. Some 289 Israeli soldiers died on October 7, Israeli officials have said. Today, the Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip says at least 500 people have been killed in an explosion that it says was caused by an Israeli airstrike. The attack on the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City would be the deadliest Israeli airstrike in five wars fought since 2008. The latest cycle of violence began on October 7 when Hamas fighters launched a surprise attack on Israeli settlements bordering the Gaza Strip.
