'I believe that practically it has failed and has ended,' said Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Aleppo-based group Fastaqim, adding that it remained to be seen if anything could be done 'in theory' to save it. Asked whether he expected aid to reach rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo, he said: 'There is no hope. It has been a number of days of procrastination. Every day there is a pretext. There is no hope of aid being delivered currently.' Speaking to Reuters from the Turkish city of Gaziantep, he also indicated that rebel groups were preparing for new military action, saying 'I imagine in the near future there will be action by the factions'.