The UN Security
Council has demanded humanitarian access to the Palestinian refugee camp of
Yarmouk in Damascus.
One UN official
described the situation for the 18,000 refugees there as "beyond
inhumane".
The situation has
deteriorated since 1 April, when Islamic State (IS) fighters launched an
offensive.
Palestinian militiamen
opposed to the Syrian government and some Free Syrian Army fighters are leading
the fight against IS.
'This has to stop'
The chair of the
15-member Security Council, Jordan's ambassador Dina Kawar, called for the
"protection of civilians... humanitarian access... and life-saving
assistance".
Delivering a report to
the council, Pierre Krahenbuhl of the Palestinian Unwra relief agency said the
situation was "more desperate than ever".
The
Palestinian UN ambassador, Riyad Mansour, said that saving the refugees was his
government's main priority.
He appealed to member nations to relocate the refugees elsewhere
in Syria or abroad.