"We always link the future fate of ships and their crew members to the negotiations between Hamas and Israel. In general, as you remember, the same scenario happened with the Galaxy Leader crew," , Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement's political bureau, told Sputnik, noting that exceptions may be made with regard to the detained Russian sailor..
He also admitted that "exceptions" could be made for some of the crew members of the sunken ship.
"Our military operations are focused on putting pressure on Israel, and their results should also be reflected in the negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis on a ceasefire in Gaza. At the same time, I allow for some exceptions and third-party agreements, but the final decision rests with the military leadership," al-Bukhaiti added when asked about the possible release of Russian sailor Alexei Galaktionov.
On July 17, a senior official from the Houthi-led Yemeni Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that a Russian sailor was rescued from the sunken Eternity C and receiving medical treatment.
The Houthis released a video on Monday that allegedly shows Russian sailor Alexei Galaktionov, rescued from the cargo ship after it sank in the Red Sea.