United nations: UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher called Friday on the international community to continue providing tangible support to Syria, noting that nearly two-thirds of the Syrian population needs assistance this year.

According to Qatar News Agency, Fletcher addressed the UN Security Council, highlighting the impact of the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has led to increased food and fuel costs, severely affecting communities already in precarious situations. He emphasized that despite a decrease in violence and improved humanitarian access, the decline in funding is outpacing the growing needs.

Fletcher warned that delaying Syria's recovery process will result in higher human and financial costs. He noted that with nearly half the year gone, the humanitarian appeal for Syria is only a little over 16 percent funded, with almost 90 percent of contributions coming from the United States, European countries, Japan, and Canada.

The funding shortages have forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to halve its emergency food assistance in Syria and suspend its nationwide bread subsidy program, which supported millions daily. Fletcher explained that the WFP had already reported a significant reduction in operations due to funding shortfalls, with the number of people receiving food assistance dropping from 1.3 million to 650,000 in May.