The United National Security Council s demanding access to the Yarmuk Refugee Camp in Damascus, Syria, where 18,000 Palestinian refuges are slugging through conditions described as “beyond inhumane”.  Palestinian militias and some Syrian anti-government forces are battling Islamic State and al Nusra Front terrorists who took control of most of the camp since 1 April.

“What the civilians in Yarmuk are most concerned about right now is bare survival,” said Pierre Krahenbuhl, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), told the Security Council.  “It’s as simple and straightforward as that.”

The Council called for the protection and safe evacuation of civilians and access for humanitarian aid workers to the approximately 18,000 people still living in the Yarmuk camp.  Before the Syrian Civil War began, that was more like 170,000.

“The situation in the camp is beyond inhumane,” said Another UNWRA official, Chris Gunness.  “There is no food, there is no water and there is very little medicine.  People are holed up in their houses, there is fighting going on in the streets.”  He added, “This has to stop and civilians must be evacuated.”

The Security Council said in a statement it would “look into further measures that can be taken to help in providing the necessary protection and assistance”.