geneva unite nations appeal friday saudi-led military coalition fully lift blockade yemen say eight million people right brink famine early week coalition partially ease blockade let aid port hodeidah salif u.n. flight sanaa aid shipments cover fraction yemen need since almost food fuel medicine import coalition back unite state countries begin blockade nov. saudi arabia intercept missile fire yemen toward capital riyadh second missile shoot thursday blockade partially wind fully wind need fully wind avoid atrocious humanitarian tragedy involve loss millions live like world see many decades u.n. humanitarian chief mark lowcock say yemen population 25 million people twenty million need assistance something like seven eight million right right brink famine say launch u.n. 2018 humanitarian appeal lowcock sidestep reporters question whether saudi-led blockade amount violation international law though say unite nations consistently urge party conflict respect obligations lawyer clearly international humanitarian law include requirement facilitate unhindered access aid agencies try secure say publicly also private dialogue say u.n. officials often shy criticize party conflict fear lose access fund saudi arabia major donor aid appeal yemen others less reticent jan egeland former u.n. aid chief call blockade illegal collective punishment alfredo zamudio director nansen center peace dialogue norway tell reuters think international criminal court investigate whether war crime speak friday event geneva helle thorning-schmidt head save children international say see yemen actually clear breach rule also clear denial aid come also become weapon war coalition join yemen war 2015 iran-allied houthi group ally force president abd-rabbu mansour hadi flee exile saudi arabia riyadh see houthis proxy iran arch-foe region conflict kill 10,000 people displace million trigger cholera epidemic well push country verge famine u.n. aid chief appeal full lift yemen blockade