In addition to the 134 Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza, there are 25 crew members of the "Galaxy Leader" cargo ship, held captive by the Houthis in Yemen after their ship was hijacked last year off the coast of Yemen.
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Four months have passed, and the families of the crew members hope for the release of their loved ones. The Houthis seized the ship at gunpoint after claiming it belonged to Israeli businessman Rami Unger, and led it to the port of al-Salif in Yemen, where it remains anchored to this day. The hostages include two Bulgarians, 17 Filipinos, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans, and one Romanian.
"There’s really not much that can be done to influence them, because the word we get from the Houthis is … that they will keep holding the ship, and all the crewmen, until the end to the hostilities in Gaza," said Eduardo de Vega, the Filipino foreign affairs official. "It will be difficult for any government to recognize a government which attacks ships on the sea,” said de Vega. “There is no point in negotiations.”
When the Houthis seized the ship, they released videos showing armed men stopping the crew members but also greeting them and promising to treat them as guests. "We will provide you with everything you need," one of them said.
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Houthis say they will not release hostages until the end of the Gaza hostilities
(Photo: EPA/YAHYA ARHAB)
According to reports, the hostages are doing well despite being in captivity, and they have not experienced violence. They are being fed, and are occasionally allowed brief contact with their families. However, the Houthis, along with most of the governments involved, have refrained from disclosing the identities of the hostages.