International aid groups working in Yemen today expressed outrage at the loss of human life that has resulted from a military assault on Hodeidah city and its port and accused the attackers of a total disregard for human suffering. The consequences of this attack will be nothing but catastrophic for the people of Hodeidah, as well as for the rest of the population across the country who rely on Hodeidah’s port for food, fuel and commercial goods, including life-saving supplies of medicines. Two-thirds of Yemen’s population are directly served by the port.
The current military intervention in Hodeidah is leaving hundreds of thousands of women, men and children stranded without any support or access to humanitarian aid. We are extremely worried about not being able to reach people in need as the warring parties advance, leaving civilians caught in the middle. We reiterate in the strongest possible terms that there is no military solution to this conflict. The only solution is to return to a viable peace process.
We also call on the international community to exert pressure on the warring parties to immediately halt the violence and return to meaningful dialogue.
