Hundreds of thousands gathered this afternoon at the Al-Sabeen Square in Sanaa, Yemen, to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire agreement to end Israel’s 15-month genocidal war.
Waving Palestinian flags and holding photos of martyred Palestinian leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, crowds in several Yemeni cities expressed pride and euphoria over their unwavering pro-Gaza stance during the past 15 months. Many emphasised their steadfastness in supporting Gaza until the end of the Israeli offensive on the enclave.
“We have not left Gaza to struggle alone. Since October 2023, we have done everything we could to support the people of Gaza,” Ammar Amri, a 35-year-old school teacher from Sanaa, told The New Arab.
“Neither the Israeli warplanes that struck Yemen nor the American battleships stationed in the Red Sea off our shores intimidated us. Today’s Gaza ceasefire is a shared victory for both Yemen and Gaza,” Ammar added.
On Wednesday, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, announced the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
Israel’s security cabinet approved the deal on Friday, and it is now set to go to the full cabinet for approval before hoped implementation on Sunday which will see the exchange of 33 Israeli captives for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be finalised.
Despite the heavy price Yemen has paid over its involvement in the Israel-Gaza war, Ammar and millions of Yemenis say what happened in Gaza was a horrendous tragedy and the global silence from leaders over what occurred was a ‘disgraceful stance’.
In recent weeks, Israeli airstrikes have devastated Sanaa International Airport, targeted ports in Al-Hodeida, and struck electricity stations. These attacks were carried out in retaliation for Houthi drone and missile strikes on Israeli cities.
Ammar stated, “We and the people of Gaza have endured the same ordeal: the brutality of an arrogant enemy devoid of any humanity. We hope this ceasefire will pave the way for a permanent end to Israeli aggression against Yemen, Gaza, and other Arab territories in the region.”
‘Palestinian steadfastness greater than ever’
The Houthi group, which has been attacking Israeli targets in Israel and Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea off Yemen, welcomed the news of the Gaza ceasefire, vowing to resume its operations should Tel Aviv keep its war on the Strip.
Abdulmalek Al-Houthi, the Houthi movement chief, said in a televised speech on Thursday evening, “The Israeli aggression and criminality against the Palestinian people was the heaviest in more than a century, and the level of Palestinian steadfastness in this round is greater than any steadfastness in any previous battles.”
According to Abdulmalek Al-Houthi, the Armed Forces of the Sanaa government have launched 1,255 ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles and drones since the inception of the Israeli war on Gaza. He described such involvement as a “surprise to the world”.
As a result of the Houthis joining the Israel-Gaza war, 106 Yemenis were killed and 328 wounded in Israeli-American-British airstrikes over the past 12 months. Abdulmalek Al-Houthi stated, “It is an honor for us to [be part of the battle] and not remain spectators.”
Tears of relief
While Yemenis cherish resistance, they have hoped for a swift demise of the war on Gaza. Fatima Mansour, a university student in Sanaa, said the Gaza ceasefire resembles a “bandage on a serious scar.”
She told The New Arab, “Civilians in Gaza have been devastated, abandoned, traumatised, and starved. This ceasefire is a step toward easing their suffering. When I heard the news, I couldn’t hold back my tears. This breakthrough is a huge relief for everyone who abhors the massacres in Gaza.”
Fatima shared how the Israeli war has shaped her perspective on the world: “I have come to see this world as a jungle, where no law stops the strong from attacking the vulnerable. When it comes to Gaza, all human rights laws and conventions have been rendered useless.”
She added, “This is not a shocking fact to Palestinians alone. It has shaken every pure heart and mind worldwide.”
Hitherto, the 15-month-long conflict has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, and at least 1.9 million people, 90 percent of Gaza’s population, have been displaced by Israel’s offensive. Moreover, roughly 345,000 people in Gaza face “catastrophic levels” of food insecurity, according to UN reports.
Bushra Humaidi, a Yemeni journalist in Taiz City, said, “The steadfastness of Gazans tells the story of the will of an unbreakable people. Despite the unspeakable ordeals they have been through, they have demonstrated to the world with pride and honor that they are still resisting with peace-seeking hearts.”
Declining fear of war in Yemen
Living in Hezyaz in the capital Sanaa, Nasser Ali, a 45-year-old resident, knows how the Israeli bombardments feel.
“Houses trembled, windows shattered, and explosions were deafening. It was a moment of horror, tears, and screams for thousands of families,” Nasser recalls a string of Israeli strikes this month.
On 10 January, 13 Israeli airstrikes hit the Hezyaz Central Power Station in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, leaving one employee wounded besides damages to several nearby homes, where Nasser lives.
He told The New Arab, “With the Gaza ceasefire, Yemen will also reap benefits. The Houthis will stop attacking Israel and the latter will not pound us. Therefore, war prospects will shrink. It is a celebratory development.”
Pro-Houthi Yemenis claim that the group’s involvement in the Israel-Gaza conflict created significant pressure on Tel Aviv. In contrast, the anti-Houthi population argues that Israel and the United States agreed to the Gaza ceasefire after accomplishing certain objectives.
Fawaz Ahmed, a 38-year-old resident of Sanaa, told The New Arab, “The Houthis link the Gaza ceasefire to their military operations against Israel. However, this is an exaggeration. If Israel wants to continue the war on Gaza, neither the Houthis nor any other militant group in the region can stop it.”
Fawaz concluded, “While the calm in Gaza is a happy turn of events. Genuine happiness will only materialise when Palestine becomes an independent state, free from the Israeli atrocities.”
