NYN | News
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is worsening as the closure of Sana’a International Airport enters its seventh week. Thousands of patients, expatriates, and students remain unable to travel, while the continued Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip—directly responsible for halting airport operations—has left the country’s only operational aircraft destroyed.
The Director of Sana’a International Airport, Khaled Al-Shaif, stated in a press interview on Sunday that more than 6,000 patients have been unable to travel abroad for medical treatment since flights stopped on May 28. He pointed out that this number does not include expatriates, students, and businesspeople whose plans and movements have been entirely disrupted.
Al-Shaif explained that Sana’a Airport serves as the main air gateway for millions of Yemenis, especially patients who cannot access adequate treatment inside the country. He emphasized that the health consequences of the closure far outweigh the economic damage, particularly since the airport’s operations had already been limited to a single destination—Amman, the capital of Jordan.
He confirmed that the airport is technically ready to receive all types of flights and that arrangements are in place to resume operations “as soon as the Israeli aggression stops.” He also noted that the leadership in Sana’a is eager to reopen the airport and resume humanitarian and civilian flights as quickly as possible.
Yemen’s only active aircraft at Sana’a Airport was rendered out of service following an Israeli attack in late May, resulting in the complete paralysis of airport operations.
At the time, Yemen Airways condemned the attack in a statement, calling it a new crime added to the disgraceful and bloody record of the Israeli occupation. The airline called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities.
The continued closure of the airport comes amid international silence, despite growing warnings of its catastrophic humanitarian consequences—especially for patients and families at risk of losing loved ones due to the inability to access medical care abroad.
