Gaza ceasefire: Yemen's Houthis release cargo ship crew they captured a year ago

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group released the 25-member crew of the merchant ship Galaxy Leader on Wednesday after more than a year in captivity, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported.

The Bahamas-flagged vessel was seized off the Yemeni coast in the Red Sea by the Houthis. The crew members were handed over to Oman.

The Houthis emphasised that the release was “in coordination” with the ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

“The release of the Galaxy Leader crew comes within the framework of our solidarity with Gaza and in support of the ceasefire agreement,” the Houthi Supreme Political Council stated.

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The crew of the ship includes 25 people from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania, as reported by the ship’s owner, Galaxy Maritime. The vessel was chartered by Japan’s Nippon Yusen.

Capture of Galaxy Leader after Israeli campaign on Gaza

The Houthi forces captured the Galaxy Leader on November 19, 2023. This occurred shortly after the Israeli invasion of Gaza began. The Houthi forces boarded the Galaxy Leader at sea and escorted it to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah in northern Yemen.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi stated on Monday that the group is prepared to take action if Israel violates the Gaza ceasefire agreement. “We are in constant readiness to intervene immediately at any time the Israeli enemy returns to escalation, genocidal crimes and siege of the Gaza Strip,” he said.

Trump re-designate Houthis as terrorist organisation

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to re-designate the Houthis as a “foreign terrorist organisation,” just hours after assuming office of the White House. This decision reversed the Biden administration’s decision to remove the group’s designation in February 2021 after coming to power.

The Houthis are a political armed movement which traces its origin from Yemen’s Zaidi Shia Muslim minority. The group, also known as Ansar Allah, is backed by Iran.

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The Houthis have been in conflict with Yemen’s internationally recognised government and a Saudi-led coalition since 2014.