News - Yemen: Abdulqader Al-Murtada, Chairman of the National Committee for Prisoners' Affairs, renewed his call to the Saudi-backed opposing party to implement a full prisoner exchange agreement.

In a post on his X (Twitter) account, Al-Murtada stated: "On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, we call on the Saudi-backed party to carry out a complete exchange process that includes all prisoners from all sides—Yemeni and non-Yemeni—without exception."

He added: "We urge the Saudi regime to pressure the other parties to implement such a deal without preconditions."

In his closing remarks, Al-Murtada reiterated the full readiness of the national side to execute the exchange as soon as possible.

With these statements, the national side has once again placed the ball in the opposing party’s court, adding this initiative to the record of national proposals put forward by the committee—proposals that have been met with Saudi-Emirati rejection and evasion by their proxies.

Al-Murtada had previously announced on the 24th of last month the failure of all efforts made by the committee following the Muscat negotiations a year ago, describing the suspension of the prisoners' file as: "A dirty exploitation of their suffering and an unjustifiable moral collapse."

The Yemeni prisoner exchange negotiations have been a key humanitarian and political issue throughout the years of aggression on Yemen. These negotiations, typically mediated by the United Nations, aim to secure the release of thousands of prisoners held by the Saudi-backed coalition forces, including the Islah Party.

The Islah Party, a political faction aligned with the US-Saudi aggression, has been a major player in these negotiations. However, shifting dynamics in the region, particularly the growing influence of the Yemeni Armed Forces and their military operations against Israeli and US interests, have complicated the process. 

The refusal of the Islah Party to participate reflects a strategic miscalculation based on expectations of external military intervention—an expectation that has since proven unrealistic.

Recently, the United States agreed to halt its military aggression against Yemen after facing significant operational challenges, including escalating costs and risks of direct confrontation. This development came as Yemeni forces intensified their operations in solidarity with Gaza, targeting Israeli-linked shipping routes and infrastructure, further straining US and Israeli positions.