The United Nations is warning of a humanitarian catastrophe in Syria, describing an assault on the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta as a “monstrous campaign of annihilation.” Aid workers report at least 300 people have been killed over the past three days. Many of the victims are women and children. Targets have included hospitals and residential apartment buildings. This is Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Ravina Shamdasani: “The high commissioner for human rights is talking about this being a monstrous campaign of annihilation of Eastern Ghouta, with no regard for civilian lives. How many more children dying do we have to see? How many more hospitals bombed? How many more doctors killed do we have to see, before the international community can come together with one voice and take resolute action on the situation in Syria to bring this violence to an end?”

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called for an immediate halt to fighting, calling the situation in Eastern Ghouta “hell on Earth” for 400,000 trapped residents. Later in the broadcast, we’ll host a roundtable discussion about the crisis in Syria.