US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki HaleyReuters

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Wednesday called for "immediate action" to save the lives of those attacked by Syrian President Bashar al-Assa'ds "barbaric" regime.

On Tuesday, at least 250 civilians, including 20 children, were killed within 48 hours in Syria's Eastern Ghouta.

However, eastern Ghouta is meant to be one of the so-called "de-escalation zones" agreed to in a deal struck by Russia, Turkey and Iran last year. In theory, such zones are meant to be areas where civilians can live without being targeted by any party in Syria's war.

"It’s time to take immediate action in the hopes of saving the lives of the men, women, and children who are under attack by the barbaric Assad regime," Haley said. "It is simply preposterous to claim that these attacks on civilians have anything to do with fighting terrorism."

"The Security Council must move to adopt a resolution establishing a ceasefire. The United States will support it, as should every member of the Council.

"As the Secretary-General warned us all, 'eastern Ghouta cannot wait.'"

Earlier on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that 400,000 Syrian civilians trapped in eastern Ghouta are living in a "hell on Earth."

"I believe Eastern Ghouta cannot wait," he added.

Attacks by the Assad regime and its backers against these civilians grow worse by the day. In addition to shelling civilian targets like hospitals, the regime is preventing access to humanitarian aid, leaving the people left in eastern Ghouta without food, water, and medicine. In addition, over 700 people are waiting to be evacuated for urgently needed medical care.