Beirut, Mar 22: A United Nations official on Friday appealed for humanitarian aid worth about four billion dollars for Syria. He said funding was almost non-existent and warned that a lack of aid would prompt the exodus of more Syrians.

More than 570,000 people have been killed, millions of people have been displaced and the country’s economy and infrastructure industry have been devastated by the Syrian war, which began with the suppression of anti-government protests thirteen years ago.

“In 2024, we are appealing for $4.7 billion to provide assistance to save the lives of 18 million of the 16.7 million Syrian citizens in need of assistance,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, “at least 10 million across the country.” 2.9 million people are food insecure.’

On March 1, he said that funding for this year’s humanitarian response plan was “just 0.02 percent” of needs, which he said meant that “life-saving programs and services” were being cut or reduced. Noting that inaction would result in at least 2.5 million children losing the opportunity to return to school, Abdelmoula said some 2.3 million women of reproductive age “could lose access to important reproductive and maternal health services.”

According to him, global shipping disruptions due to Israel’s war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip have led to an increase in commodity prices in Syria and a “significant increase” in Israeli airstrikes against targets in the country.

Since the start of the civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria. It also targets Iranian-backed forces, including Hezbollah, as well as Syrian army positions. However, attacks have escalated since Israel’s war with Hezbollah’s ally Hamas began on October 7.

“The targeting of airports in Syria has also affected humanitarian air services, last year we had to cancel 49 humanitarian flights,” Abdelmoula said. He warned that ignoring the Syrian crisis could have “disastrous” consequences, such as a “resurgence of terrorism” and further destabilization of neighboring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan if “not creating conditions conducive to refugee returns”.

He also warned of an increase in migration to Europe. According to him, in 2023 compared to the previous year, the number of asylum applications from Syria has increased by “38 percent”.