In the besieged Yemeni city of Taiz, home to approximately one million people, residents like Yousef Farhan are facing extreme hardships as food and income sources dry up. Farhan, a 39-year-old father of four, stated that his family is reduced to eating only rice or beans day after day. He purportedly lost his modest livelihood selling cucumbers outside a local school after shelling forced the facility to close and transport routes were severed.

The city has been effectively cut off since early October when vital land routes were blocked. Houthi forces reportedly seized the town of al-Turbah, severing the primary supply artery, while forces aligned with the internationally recognized administration closed eastern crossings. The United Nations has warned that these prolonged road closures and security failures are obstructing essential supplies, cutting water production in half, and doubling food prices.

The fuel crisis has further exacerbated civilian emergencies throughout Taiz, with fuel stations remaining shut and prices soaring exponentially. A 20-litre container of petrol reportedly costs four times its previous price, forcing families to abandon cooking gas in favor of firewood. Public transport fares have surged by 150 percent, heavily straining depleted household budgets across the urban center.

The healthcare sector is also buckling under the immense pressure of the blockade. Fatima Khaled, a 55-year-old kidney failure patient, is reportedly forced to sleep on the floor of a hospital dialysis hall because she cannot afford travel or lodging. The World Health Organization has indicated that numerous health facilities in Taiz are suffering from severe shortages of fuel, oxygen, and essential medical supplies.

Source: www.aljazeera.com