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An increase of 1.2 million since resolution 2139 was adopted in February. UN agencies and NGO partners continue their efforts to meet urgent humanitarian needs. Staff have deployed to difficult and dangerous locations to engage in negotiations to secure access and to deliver much needed aid. Many have been killed, injured, detained or taken hostage. Nearly 60 aid workers have lost their lives in the course of their work so far. Countless hours have been spent negotiating and facilitating convoy movements in compliance with complicated and onerous administrative procedures. Despite all these efforts, four years into this war, we are unable to sustainably reach nearly half of those identified as being in the direst need. Insecurity and active conflict play a role in preventing humanitarian access to many locations. However arbitrary restrictions and obstructions, including bureaucratic procedures imposed by the Government limit or obstruct where we deliver aid, to whom and how often. Some opposition groups have also attacked, threatened and refused to cooperate with humanitarian workers. In April the Government of Syria introduced new truck sealing procedures intended to streamline and ensure safe passage of regular aid deliveries. This new mechanism was poorly implemented and resulted in a large backlog of deliveries. Food assistance fell by nearly a million in May and has yet to be restored to previous levels, with only 50 per cent of planned food assistance dispatched in June. On 9th of June, the Government announced additional requirements involving the submission of monthly distribution plans and weekly loading plans. In addition, the Government introduced new procedures for the delivery of assistance to hard-to-reach locations through UN hubs. The new procedures require three levels of approval, undermine previous agreements and have caused two successive months of decline in aid deliveries. I cannot describe to the Council the frustration felt by experienced aid workers who have to spend endless hours trying to get agreement for aid deliveries as people's lives hang in the balance. The focus of the Government of Syria remains on controlling the work of the UN and its partners. Our focus remains on the people who so desperately need our help. Mr. President, Despite repeated calls for the free passage of all medicines and surgical equipment in aid convoys, certain items continue to be excluded or removed depriving tens of thousands of people each month of their basic right to life-saving medical assistance. The Government continues to prohibit the inclusion of medical supplies in shipments intended for opposition-held areas. This deliberate denial of essential medicine and medical equipment undermines the very basis of humanitarian action. The ability of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to operate in Syria also remains severely constrained due to bureaucratic and operational constraints. A proposed amendment to the existing Memorandum of Understanding regulating the work of NGOs and aimed at reducing restrictions, was submitted to the Syrian Government o