Almost 42,000 people remaining in Madaya are at risk of further hunger and starvation. The UN has received credible reports of people dying from starvation and being killed while trying to leave. On 5 January 2016, a 53 year-old man reportedly died of starvation while his family of five continues to suffer from severe malnutrition.

According to the UN, up to 4.5 million people in Syria live in hard-to-reach areas including nearly 400,000 people in 15 besieged locations who do not have access to the life-saving aid they urgently need. The ongoing conflict continues to hamper the humanitarian response and freedom of movement is restricted by the presence of armed actors and landmines. Madaya last received a joint UN/SARC/ICRC convoy on 18 October 2015 and medical evacuations in December, but has been inaccessible since then despite numerous requests for access.

Muslim Aid Australia is currently working on preparing to deliver essential and ongoing aid through our local partners on the ground to those not only affected by starvation in Madaya, but to those affected in all of the 15 besieged areas.

We ask for you all to please make dua for those affected by this tragic situation.

If you would like to support our Syrian brothers and sisters please donate generously by clicking this link.