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A/HRC/28/69 13 Anti-terrorism laws issued on 2 July 2012 effectively criminalized medical aid to the opposition. Laws 19, 20 and 21 contravene the customary international humanitarian law rule that “under no circumstances shall any person be punished for carrying out medical activities compatible with medical ethics, regardless of the person benefiting therefrom”.9 As a result, the health-care system has been severely affected in the course of military operations carried out by government forces, as well as through a deliberate and systematic campaign to persecute medical staff treating anyone perceived to be opposing the Government. 81. Hospitals and medical facilities have been systematically targeted, leading to the death and wounding of medical personnel. Across the country, between July 2014 and January 2015, at least 10 hospitals were attacked by government airstrikes, some repeatedly, often killing doctors and nurses working inside. 82. ISIS and anti-government armed groups have detained medical personnel, violating customary humanitarian law prohibiting the punishment of persons for carrying out medical activities. The abduction of humanitarian and medical personnel has prompted medical staff to flee for fear of arrest. Doctors and nurses have also fled owing to the restrictions imposed on their professional activities by ISIS. 83. Violence targeting humanitarian workers and facilities continues to obstruct the efforts of humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to those Syrians most in need. Humanitarian workers have been deliberately targeted, preventing them from delivering aid and curtailing the activities of humanitarian agencies. 9. Internally displaced persons and refugees 84. Since the start of the crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic, more than 10 million Syrians have fled their homes. This amounts to almost half of the country’s population, now deprived of their basic rights to shelter and adequate housing, security and human dignity. Many are victims of human rights violations and abuses and are in urgent need of protective measures and support. 85. More than 3 million people, most of them women and children, have fled the Syrian Arab Republic. Neighbouring countries, in particular Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, have borne the primary responsibility of hosting one of the largest exoduses in recent history. A further 6.5 million people are believed to be internally displaced. An estimated 10.8 million are in need of humanitarian assistance inside the Syrian Arab Republic, with 4.6 million living under siege or in hard-to-access areas. 86. Palestinians in the Syrian Arab Republic have emerged as a particularly vulnerable group. Targeted by government forces in Yarmouk and Khan Al-Sheeh camps in Damascus, in Handarat camp in Aleppo and in Dara’a camp, Palestinians often have nowhere to seek refuge. Neighbouring States have restricted entry to some Palestinians and imposed discriminatory measures, in violation of their asylum and non-refoulement obligations. C. Civilian protection measures 87. There has been a total failure of civilian protection in the Syrian Arab Republic. Civilians are systematically targeted by all parties to the conflict, resulting in egregious 9 Additional Protocols I (art. 16 (1)) and II (art. 10 (1)) to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949