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The talks have failed. Those with ill-intentions and the means to cause violence step forward. Military operations are renewed in the northwest. And the innocent are forced to flee. The protracted regional crisis caused by the war in Syria has been described by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres as “the biggest humanitarian crisis of our era.”
According to the latest Humanitarian Needs Overview, there are an estimated 11.7 million people (of which 6.2 million are IDPs) in need of assistance in the country. The needs in Aleppo and Idleb governates are particularly pronounced.
The humanitarian challenge in Syria is characterized by systematic violations of international law, including attacks on health infrastructure, and mass displacement far beyond the response capacity of local, regional and international capacity agencies. The destruction and /or permanent suspension of health facilities left a huge gap in response to the remaining population as well creating a load on health facilities in the areas of IDPs’ movement.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, Physicians for Human Rights has documented over 7,500 attacks on at least 350 health facilities. According to the latest Health Cluster report, "Any military escalation can be expected to be accompanied by a surge in attacks on health facilities. What is happening now in Idleb is the latest testament to the deliberate nature of attacks on health in Syria and their appalling health and safety consequences on civilians."
Field Ready’s project inside Syria have been on hold since the start of the year. It was never large, always closely adhering to humanitarian principles, but it had a definitive impact. This may change in the future. In the meantime, we’re hoping that things will change for the better. And we firming believe that health facilities and other places where innocents shelter should never be a target.