The Red Cross and Russia have called for a ceasefire in Yemen to allow the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians after 10 days of Saudi-led air strikes and fighting.

Russia distributed a draft resolution at the United Nations pressing for the suspension of coalition air strikes on Houthi forces to allow evacuation of foreign civilians and diplomats, and demanding rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also called for an immediate pause in hostilities to deliver life-saving medical aid, saying three of its shipments remained blocked.

"All air, land and sea routes must be opened without delay for at least 24 hours to enable help to reach people cut off after more than a week of intense air strikes and fierce ground fighting nationwide," the ICRC said.

The United Nations says more than 500 people have been killed in the past two weeks in Yemen and nearly 1,700 wounded.

The president of the UN Security Council, Jordan's UN ambassador Dina Kawar, said the Council needed time to consider Russia's proposal for a pause in airstrikes against the Shiite rebels.

He said the Council was still focused on finding a long-term political solution to the crisis in Yemen.

Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, asked about the calls for a humanitarian pause, said only that the military was ready for any instructions from its political leadership.

Yemen crisis at a glance: Yemen's autocratic leader Ali Abdullah Saleh loses power in the wave of 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Yemen's autocratic leader Ali Abdullah Saleh loses power in the wave of 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Nation embarks on political transition based on an agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Nation embarks on political transition based on an agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The Houthi, or Ansarullah Islamist group, claims the mantle of a national revolution and sweeps southwards, seizing Sana'a.

The Houthi, or Ansarullah Islamist group, claims the mantle of a national revolution and sweeps southwards, seizing Sana'a. Sunni Islamist parties loyal to president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi reject the rebels' takeover.

Sunni Islamist parties loyal to president Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi reject the rebels' takeover. Al Qaeda militants join forces with some tribal opponents of the Houthis in a series of deadly clashes.

Al Qaeda militants join forces with some tribal opponents of the Houthis in a series of deadly clashes. Fighting temporarily displaces about 100,000 people in 2014, according to the United Nations.

Fighting temporarily displaces about 100,000 people in 2014, according to the United Nations. Corruption and lack of basic services and infrastructure remain huge problems for the impoverished country. Source: Reuters, AFP, The World Bank

He said aid agencies and governments should coordinate aid shipments with officials in Riyadh.

Residents in Aden say parts of the southern port city have been without water or electricity for two days.

There was no sign of a halt in the fighting in Aden, where medical teams fear more civilians will die if they do not get access to the city.

Fighting in the southern port city has intensified in recent days with Saudi-led airstrikes aiming to push back Shiah Houthi rebels.

Aden is a stronghold of those loyal to president president Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi who fled Aden a week ago and has watched from Riyadh as the vestiges of his authority have crumbled.

Jets from the Saudi-led coalition have parachuted weapons into Aden to bolster fighters loyal to Mr Hadi.

A military spokesman for the Saudi coalition said it was providing substantial logistical support for Mr Hadi's fighters. He declined to confirm or deny reports that Saudi special forces were operating in Aden.

Loyalists to him managed to flush out the Houthis and their allies from central Aden's Crater district on Friday, a rare victory after more than a week of gains by the Houthis.

The Houthis are backed by soldiers loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Algeria evacuates 160 citizens from Yemen

Meanwhile, Algeria has evacuated 160 of its citizens from the war-torn nation as a Saudi-led coalition continued its bombing campaign against Houthi targets.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called for the operation after monitoring the deteriorating security situation in Yemen in recent days, foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra said.

Algeria has refused to provide manpower from its powerful armed forces for the coalition carrying out air strikes against the Shiite rebels.

National news agency APS added that 40 Tunisians, 15 Mauritians, eight Libyans, three Moroccans and a Palestinian were also flown out of the capital, Sanaa, to Cairo on a plane provided by Algerian national carrier Air Algerie.

China, Djibouti, Egypt and Sudan, along with two aid groups, were scheduled to carry out evacuations from Sunday while requests from others including Canada, Germany and Iraq were being processed, the Arab coalition has said.

Reuters/AFP