The Stream

Syria’s humanitarian crisis

Besieged Syrians battle with starvation and sickness as they try to survive the country’s civil war.

Residents of Syria’s besieged Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus, crowding a destroyed street during a food distribution led by the UN agency, on 31 January, 2014. (AFP PHOTO/HO/UNRWA)

Hungry Syrians are eating grass, weeds and normally forbidden animals like cats, dogs and donkeys to survive. Hundreds of thousands are under sieges imposed by both the government and the rebels, many starving or stricken by disease. In the besieged Yarmouk Camp alone, about 100 people, mostly children, died this year. Clashes and attacks on humanitarian convoys are preventing basic goods from reaching trapped civilians. At 1930GMT, we discuss the challenges of delivering aid inside Syria. 

In this episode, The Stream speaks to:

Jomana Qaddour @jomanaqaddour
Co-founder, Syria Relief & Development

Christopher Gunness @ChrisGunness
UNRWA Spokesperson
unrwa.org 

Nabih Bulos @nabihbulos 
Special correspondent, Los Angeles Times

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