The assassination of key members of the Syrian regime on Wednesday and an upsurge in widespread and worsening fighting, including in the capital Damascus, has heightened the humanitarian emergency once more.

The Red Cross and the Red Crescent remain the only humanitarian charities to be able to enter the worst affected regions in Syria...

The Red Cross and the Red Crescent movement in Syria however are being supported by relief organisations across the world including charities like Syria Relief and Hand in Hand for Syria in the UK and international charities like UNICEF and Save the Children.

The international relief charity the Red Cross has helped hundreds of thousands of people since the fighting began with emergency aid including food, water and medical assistance.

The international Red Cross (ICRC) Middle East head of operations, Robert Mardini, explains: "Since mid-2011 we have brought aid to over 600,000 people jointly with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent..."

Despite UN monitors pulling out of the danger zones last month Red Cross workers have been stepping up their efforts in the conflict regions...

Over the past month in cooperation with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the ICRC has supplied food for 150,000 people across Syria, including displaced people in Homs, Damascus, Hama, Idlib and other regions and cities.

The charity is also providing sleeping materials, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies; as well as medical and health aid for Red Crescent health facilities.

Thousands of people continue to be affected by the conflict and the numbers are clearly rising...

The Red Cross reports many areas of the country continue to be embroiled in perpetual fighting including Homs governorate and Deir Ezzor.

With the demand for food aid, medical aid and other essentials increasing charities around the world are already stepping up their efforts to raise funds to support Red Cross teams risking their lives to bring help to victims of the conflict...