Ceasefire in Yemen ends: Anxious hope for an extension of the ceasefire

The four-month ceasefire in Yemen is expected to end overnight. The hope for an extension is high. The humanitarian situation in the country remains tense, and individual fighting has recently flared up again.

The small child on the bed in a hospital in the Yemeni city of Taiz has his arms and legs bandaged. However, it was lucky once again. The mother reports to a television station: “Our children played in the street – it was considered safe. Suddenly they were shot at. They talk about a ceasefire – but where is it when our children are shot at?”

At least eleven children were injured in the shelling by the Houthis a few days ago, and one boy died. Ironically, in the last week of the ceasefire that has been in place up to now, isolated fighting broke out in the otherwise much more peaceful Yemen – as is so often the case, children are the victims.

The UNICEF representative in Yemen, Philippe Duamelle, says in an interview with the ARD: “The most recent incident in Taiz is a tragedy. Since the ceasefire began, the total number of victims has really fallen significantly. But there have been some recent outbreaks of violence – and that shouldn’t have happened in Taiz.”

The UN reiterated calls for the ceasefire to be strictly observed and for civilians, especially children, not to be targeted. Yemen urgently needs a longer ceasefire leading to a peace process and lasting peace in Yemen, says Duamelle.

Demonstrations for an end to violence

The residents of Taiz are taking to the streets to demonstrate for an end to the violence – but above all for an end to the siege by the Houthis. “The liberation of Taiz is our most important goal. The city has been under siege for almost eight years, the Houthis control the entrances and exits. They also oppose the population. There is not a house in Taiz that doesn’t already have three or four people were killed,” says Aref Jamil, deputy governor of Taiz.

The fate of the Yemeni city, which is still under siege by the Houthis, is seen as one of the lynchpins in negotiations to continue the ceasefire. The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, advocates an extension of several months:

“Let’s be clear: The alternative to the ceasefire is a return to violence – probably an intensified phase of the conflict, with all the consequences for civilians and the region. The number of casualties has fallen by two-thirds as a result of the ceasefire.”

Hospitals are working better again

In Yemen, supporters of former President Abdrabbo Mansour Hadi, backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, are fighting the Houthi rebels who overran the country in 2014. The Houthis receive aid from Iran.

At the beginning of April, the warring parties agreed on a two-month ceasefire, which was then extended by another two months in June. The situation for the civilian population has improved since then, says Ahmad Baroudi from the “Save the Children” aid organization:

Oil is coming back into the country, which makes transport easier. Hospitals could also work better again, says Baroudi.

Continued catastrophic humanitarian situation in the country

But despite the improvements, the humanitarian situation in Yemen is still considered catastrophic: around 80 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The infrastructure has collapsed in the more than seven years of war. There is a lack of doctors and clean drinking water, food is expensive. Thousands of children are starving – and the global supply crisis is making the situation even more difficult.

“We have 2.2 million children under the age of five in the country who are acutely malnourished – more than half a million of them are life-threateningly malnourished. Overall, two thirds of the population are in need of help,” reports UNICEF representative Duamelle.

Aid is not forthcoming

The United Nations speaks in Yemen of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. But the aid money from the international community is not forthcoming. Duamelle complains:

Everyone is now hoping for an extension of the ceasefire in Yemen – because that meant one thing above all for the local people: hope. “One of the most important aspects of the ceasefire is that it gave people a perspective. Hope that after more than seven years this war can be ended – and not by a victor on the battlefield, but by solutions at the negotiating table,” says Baroudi from “Save the children”.

That gave people a perspective that their situation could improve. “Will the ceasefire be extended? Everyone is now tiptoeing for this news,” said Baroudi.