In north-west Syria, aid has been blocked for more than four million people living in rebel-held areas near the city of Jindires. A city that has already tried hard 12 years of civil war, now devastated by the earthquake. .
Ten days after the disaster, humanitarian aid has still not arrived.
Faced with this extreme emergency and thanks to international pressure, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday agreed to open two border crossings between Turkey and rebel areas to allow the passage of aid.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was visiting the area, sounded the alarm and said everything still needs to be done.
The people have no food, no medicine and are struggling against the cold.
The situation in hospitals
There are dozens of children injured by the earthquake at the local hospital. They are the little ones who only knew about war and now this new shocking drama. Many of them have lost their families.
The UN has launched an appeal to urgently raise nearly $400 million to help a population in dire need of shelter, medical care and food over the next three months.
“Opening these crossings, along with facilitating humanitarian access, speeding up visa approvals and facilitating travel between hubs – said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres – will allow more aid to arrive, and faster.