On May 14, 2023, Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels finalized a significant agreement to release over 1,600 detainees, marking the largest swap during Yemen's 11-year civil war. The deal was signed in Amman, Jordan, after 14 weeks of negotiations, with the presence of UN officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as observers. Abdelkader al-Murtada, the Houthi head of the National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, stated that approximately 1,100 of the detainees are affiliated with the Houthis, while the other side will release seven Saudi and 20 Sudanese detainees among the 580 individuals. Yahya Kazman, head of the government delegation, noted that several politicians and media professionals held by the Houthis will also be released, although specific details were not provided. UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, emphasized that this agreement represents the largest release of conflict-related detainees. The ICRC confirmed that both parties have agreed on the identities of those to be released and expressed readiness to facilitate their repatriation. The timeline for the release remains unclear, but the agreement builds on previous negotiations held in Oman in December 2025, where discussions involved the release of 2,900 detainees. Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, leading to a humanitarian crisis characterized by severe food insecurity, particularly in northern provinces, as reported by the World Food Programme.