Residents of Douma, Syria, describe the brutal conditions they live under

Douma, Syria, was once a bustling suburb, home to 500,000 people. Today, it's believed that four out of five residents have fled the crumbling city and those who have stayed behind spend their days hiding in fields or "trapped at home, praying they won't get killed," The New York Times reports.

A paramedic named Ahmed told The Times that of those who still lived in Douma in early August, half have left. August was one of the most devastating months in Douma since the Syrian civil war began, with 550 people, mostly civilians, dying in bombings and airstrikes; Red Crescent medics say 123 children were among the dead. Douma, east of Damascus, was one of the first areas to revolt against the government of President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, and has been the target of intense bombing campaigns. Every day, an estimated 150 trauma injuries are treated at 13 clinics that work with Doctors Without Borders.

The people of Douma are dependent upon smugglers who use a series of tunnels to bring in day-to-day items. Because it's difficult to get in or out of the city, humanitarian aid is largely blocked, and hunger is driving residents to scavenge for wild greens, The Times reports. Douma is held by an insurgent group called the Army of Islam, and the al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front is also active, but the Islamic State is not known to be a threat, The Times says.

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In a town where everyone has seen death and destruction, it's possible that Dr. Adnan Tobaji has witnessed the worst of it. Tobaji doesn't have anesthetics or sterile supplies, and often has to treat people on the floor of his makeshift basement clinic. During the early days of the war, Douma residents wanted to see Assad ousted from power, but now, all they want is life to go back to the way it was. Tobaji and hundreds of other doctors and area residents have signed a petition calling for a humanitarian truce with negotiations that end the war, with no mention of Assad. "The fate of Assad for us is nothing compared to the fate of Syria the country, the people, and the children," Tobaji told The Times. "At this moment while we are talking a Syrian is being killed. We need a solution by any means to stop the fighting."