The European Commission announced additional €20 million of relief aid to Syria. This will bring the European Commission's total assistance in this crisis to €63 million. The additional funding will go to projects which provide food, water, sanitation, shelter, medical support and supplies, as well as psychological support for an estimated 1.5 million Syrians inside the country as well as to Syrian refugees.

€20 million in additional funding will be allocated by the European Commission in response to the acute humanitarian needs in Syria. It will bring the European Commission's total assistance in this crisis to €63 million (€40 million in humanitarian aid and €23 in complementary assistance to support livelihoods). The European Commission is doubling its aid for emergency medical care, shelter, food and water to those Syrians most affected by the ever-worsening crisis, both inside and outside the country.

The Commission highlighted that it will continue to channel its funding through its humanitarian partners, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), who are uniquely placed to ensure that the delivery of humanitarian aid based on the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

Between 1.5 and 3 million people are affected by the violence in Syria, while the entire civilian population is suffering from shortages of both food and fuel. The intensification of violence inside Syria has hindered the capacity of humanitarian workers to provide essential relief to populations in need. The needs of the Palestinian refugees in Syria are being addressed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to which the EU is a major donor.