The UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria has called the death and destruction in Eastern Ghouta "heartbreaking". He urged for a more sustained effort to bring the violence to an end.

VOICE OF PANOS MOUMTZIS UN REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR "We continue to be extremely worried about protection of civilians, about women and children. There are 400,000 people in siege situation. There has to be an intensified effort to bring secession of hostilities. Our call for a ceasefire more than two weeks ago had not resulted in anything so far. It's heartbreaking to think of children, of women, of elderly who are in need, who are not able to be evacuated, but also find themselves in a situation of fear, hiding in basements and not being able to go out."