Stranded along Jordan’s northeastern border with Syria at Rukban for nearly two years, Mohammad Khader al-Mahya lives in misery. Some 50,000 Syrians live in a 3-year-old desert encampment, hundreds of miles from the nearest city and cut off from international aid workers in a closed military zone. The Jordanian government claims the camp has been infiltrated by the Islamic State (IS) and therefore has prohibited food deliveries to Rukban since June, causing prices on the black market to skyrocket.

Approximately 80% of the refugees at Rukban suffer from malnutrition, an Amman-based European ambassador told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. According to the envoy, conditions are so dire that some women are engaging in prostitution to survive. Inadequate health care and poor sanitation have led to the spread of hepatitis and severe respiratory infections, resulting in child deaths. Amid these horrific conditions, the Syrians are mired in place by an international power struggle and unable to receive the assistance they critically need.

“The most difficult part is when your children wake up during the night because of the hunger pangs and you can’t help them,” Khader told Al-Monitor via WhatsApp. Living in a flimsy tent and suffering from the bitter cold, Mahya added, “The entire family is sick, and medicine is not available.”

The Hashemite kingdom has remained steadfast in denying food assistance to the trapped Syrians during the past four months. In June 2016, IS carried out a strike on Jordanian forces stationed near the area, which international aid workers call the Berm, killing seven border guards and wounding 13. Amman thereafter dramatically reduced the amount of food entering Rukban, permitting deliveries approximately once every three or four months, the most recent being in June of this year.