The Syrian refugees have been desperately waiting in already overcrowded camps at the border for Turkish authorities to open the gates. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has been increasing its pressure on Turkey to let them in.
The Turkish government has stated that the open-door policy remains the same, but that there was no need to open the gates as the refugees are being taken care of across the border. Several non-governmental organizations (NGO), has been distributing aid supplies during the last few days.
As thousands wait in the cold and wet with nothing except what they’ve managed to bring from Aleppo, organizations provide a lifeline as they are stuck waiting to cross into Turkey.
"The most important need is shelter. The weather is cold, it's been pouring rain, it could snow. These are freezing levels; over 20 babies lost their lives freezing to death. To prevent this, shelter is a vital need at the moment," said Burak Karacaoglu, an IHH (a Turkish Humanitarian NGO) media adviser.
Although the governor of Kilis had announced that they were distributing tents and blankets, it seems that the survival of the tens of thousands of refugees will continue to be a challenge under these circumstances.