United Nations, May 31 (IANS): UN relief to Syria has been increasingly underfunded amid escalating humanitarian demands, outgoing UN relief chief Martin Griffiths said, calling for international support.

"Over the past three years, we have seen a steady reduction in funding for the Humanitarian Response Plan -- from 55 per cent funded in 2021 to only 39 per cent last year," the biggest gap since the crisis began, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Griffiths said in a farewell address on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

In Syria, 16.7 million people require humanitarian assistance, more than at any time during the conflict, he said at the Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Syria.

"Children continue to be killed, women and girls continue to fear for their safety," and more than seven million people remain displaced, he said.

Violence has also disrupted daily humanitarian efforts, posing persistent risks to civilians and aid workers, he added.

Despite challenges, Griffiths welcomed the Syrian government's recent extended use of key border crossings, which is crucial for delivering aid to millions in the northwest, but voiced concerns over the upcoming deadlines.

Though humanitarian efforts are crucial, they are not a solution to the crisis, he said.

The "only sustainable solution" is "via an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the people of Syria and encourages the meaningful participation of all spheres of society, in particular of Syrian women," he said.

"We cannot wait for the next cataclysm to make genuine progress towards ending this catastrophe," he said, warning that the deepening economic crisis and the conflict in Gaza threaten to spill across the region.