Despite objections by Syria’s government, the United Nations Security Council voted 15 to 0 on Monday to authorize cross-border convoys of emergency aid for millions of deprived Syrian civilians in rebel-held areas, without prior approval by the Syrian authorities. This strengthens provisions adopted five months ago and signified a rare unanimity among the Security Council members over how to deal with the 4-year civil war in Syria. 10.8 million people need assistance because of the war, and roughly half of them live in rebel-held areas.Up to now the government of President Bashar al-Assad has insisted that all international aid be channelled through Damascus and very little, if any, had been getting to civilians in areas not controlled by the government. His political opponents believe the injustice and unfairness of aid distribution was part of an effort to use the assistance, including medicine, as a weapon of war to sicken and starve rebel-held areas into submission.