Yemen war leading to 'unimaginable suffering', Oxfam warns

The human cost of Yemen's war is "rising sharply" as three quarters of the country's population urgently requires humanitarian support,  Oxfam said in a statement on Wednesday.

The non-profit warned of "unimaginable suffering" if the war continues for another year with hunger and disease already affecting millions.

“Yemenis are desperate for peace - instead they are facing yet more death and destruction," said Ferran Puig, Oxfam's country director in Yemen.

"Violence and hunger are on the increase once more and millions of people cannot get the basics their families need."

Oxfam warned that two-thirds of the Yemeni population -  19 million people - could starve this year unless the war comes to an end or a massive gap in the appeal budget is filled.

The appeal is currently 70 percent underfunded, providing "just 15 cents per day per person needing help", the charity said.

"Without peace, the cycle of misery will continue and deepen. Until then, adequate funding for humanitarian aid is critical," Puig said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also exacerbated Yemen's crisis as Sanaa imports 42 percent of its grain from Ukraine leading to a sharp rise in export prices.

The rising cost of petrol - also caused by the war - has also caused a reduction in humanitarian aid deliveries, which could lead to health facilities across the country being forced to shut off life-saving equipment due to fuel shortages.

The Houthi group said earlier this month that it would welcome talks with the Saudi-led coalition if held in a neutral country.

The United Nations has previously described the situation in the war-torn country as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The war began after Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of the capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led  coalition to intervene in 2015, with the conflict killing tens of thousands of people since.