Houthis free “Galaxy leader” ship crew after Gaza ceasefire

The crew of the ship “Galaxy Leader” were released Wednesday by the Houthis after seizing the ship in November, 2023.

The Houthis said in a statement the release came under the directives of their leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, and in coordination with Hamas and with mediation from Oman.

The statement says the release came “in support of the Gaza ceasefire agreement”.

The Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged car carrier, was seized by Houthis in international waters of the Red Sea in November 2023 – in what the Houthis say is part of maritime operations against “Israel” in retaliation for its aggression against Gaza.

The vessel's 25-member crew, comprising nationals from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, and Romania, were detained and held in Yemen for 14 months.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) conducted visits to assess the crew's conditions, reporting general well-being despite health concerns such as malaria among some members.