Yemen’s Houthi rebels unilaterally release 153 war detainees, Red Cross says

Yemen's Houthi rebels free 153 detainees, sparking hope for peace talks amid ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels unilaterally freed 153 war detainees Saturday (January 25, 2025), the International Committee of the Red Cross said, one of several overtures in recent days to ease tensions after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Previous prisoner releases have been viewed as a means to jumpstart talks over permanently ending Yemen's decadelong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital, Sanaa, in 2014. However, the Houthis' release comes just after they detained another seven Yemeni workers from the United Nations, sparking anger from the world body.

Those released previously had been visited by Red Cross staff in Sanaa and received medical checks and other assistance, the organisation said while announcing the release. The Houthis had signalled Friday night they planned a release of prisoners.

The Red Cross said it “welcomes this unilateral release as another positive step towards reviving negotiations.”

“This operation has brought much-needed relief and joy to families who have been anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones,” said Christine Cipolla, the ICRC’s head of delegation in Yemen. “We know that many other families are also waiting for their chance to be reunited. We hope that today’s release will lead to many more moments like this.”

Abdul Qader al-Murtada, the head of the Houthis' Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, said in a statement carried by Houthi media that those released were "humanitarian cases' that included the sick, wounded and the elderly.

“The goal of the initiative is to build trust and establish a new phase of serious and honest dealing,” al-Murtada reportedly said.