On Tuesday, following announcements from the U.S. and Israel that put the future of the Gaza ceasefire agreement in doubt, Yemen’s Houthi rebels issued a reminder that they could restart ballistic missile attacks if hostilities against Hamas resume.
The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has held so far, and so has the uneasy peace in the Red Sea. But the future of the detente appears tenuous: Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that the U.S. will “own” and redevelop Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East,” requiring two million Palestinians to leave and never return. He demanded that all of Hamas’ 76 remaining Israeli hostages be released by February 15 – a dramatic acceleration of the ceasefire framework that Hamas had negotiated with Israel.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Hamas wasn’t living up to the terms of the hostage exchange and promised to resume military action in Gaza if all 76 hostages are not returned by Saturday. Hamas asserts that it is committed to the ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
Read more in an article from The Maritime Executive.
