International aid organizations operating in Yemen have issued a dire warning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, stating that over 18 million people are facing food insecurity, with an estimated 2.6 million at risk of slipping into emergency or worse food insecurity levels.

The statement, signed by Action Against Hunger, CARE, Danish Refugee Council, Dorkas International Aid, International Rescue Committee, Intersos, Marie Stopes International, Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, and Save the Children, was released on Thursday, September 19, 2024, as part of a briefing on the humanitarian situation and funding in Yemen.

The organizations called for international support for UN-led efforts to secure the release of dozens of aid workers detained by the Houthis for over three months, warning that the current crisis could push millions of Yemenis into famine and death.

The briefing highlighted a significant decline in humanitarian funding, with the current humanitarian response plan funded at less than 28%, the lowest funding level since the start of humanitarian assistance in Yemen.

The organizations estimated a funding shortfall of $1 billion compared to last year, noting that the number of people affected by the conflict has decreased by 40%, with 4.5 million still living in displacement.

The aid organizations demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained humanitarian workers held by the Houthis, allowing their families and loved ones to access them. They urged UN member states to support negotiation efforts for their release.

Regarding increased aid, the organizations emphasized its necessity, especially with rising cholera cases, worsening malnutrition, widespread food insecurity, and recent floods, to avert a more severe humanitarian catastrophe that could "force millions of people to face famine and death." Women, children, and the elderly are particularly at risk.

To achieve this, aid organizations believe that urgent, high-quality, and flexible humanitarian funding is crucial for supporting needs-based humanitarian assistance, aligned with fundamental humanitarian principles and free from political agendas.

Regarding resource mobilization for humanitarian aid, the briefing highlighted the need to re-establish a dedicated annual pledging event for Yemen. It also stressed that humanitarian assistance, after nearly a decade of crisis, should be integrated with increased development investment to strengthen economic stability, provide lasting solutions for internally displaced persons, and link it to improved access and freedom from operational interference by authorities.

The briefing warned that escalating regional conflict, with its cascading effects in interconnected contexts like Yemen, could lead to an unprecedented level of humanitarian catastrophe across the region.