The UN is struggling to agree the terms of a resolution which would impose a 30-day ceasefire in Syria as the death toll in the regime assault on eastern Ghouta climbs to more than 400.

At least 428 people, including 98 children, have been killed in the aerial offensive on the besieged rebel suburb of Damascus in one of the worst episodes of violence in the seven-year-long war.

A sixth day of air strikes, including illegal barrel bombs, shelling and rocket fire, continued unabated in the area on Friday. More than 22 medical facilities have been damaged, leaving thousands of injured people unable to access adequate help.

Scenes of devastation in Syria after deadly shelling and airstrikes and eastern Ghouta

The UN is due to vote on a resolution at 1600 GMT on Friday which would order a temporary cessation of hostilities and immediate access for aid convoys to millions across the country.

Ahead of the vote, the European Union issued a statement from all 28 members insisting on the importance of a ceasefire.

“The European Union is running out of words to describe the horror being experienced by the people of eastern Ghouta,” the bloc said.

“Unhindered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians is a moral duty and a matter of urgency... the fighting must stop now.”

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, has historically used its position as a permanent member of the security council to veto most UN action in Syria's war.

Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Show all 14 1 /14 Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A Syrian woman and children run for cover amid the rubble of buildings. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Smoke rises from buildings following the attack on the village of Mesraba in the rebel-held besieged Eastern Ghouta region on the outskirts of the capital Damascu. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Injured children receive medical treatment. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A Syrian man carries a child injured. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures An injured child receives treatment following bombings on several areas of eastern Ghouta. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A child reacts inside a hospital after relatives were injured in the bombing. EPA Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian children cry at a make-shift hospital in Douma following air strikes on the Syrian village of Mesraba. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian Civil Defense group extinguishing a store during airstrikes and shelling by Syrian government forces. AP Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures A wounded 12-year-old Syrian boy, cries as he receives treatment at a make-shift hospital. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrians carry a wounded man. AFP/Getty Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures An injured man covered with blood at a medical point. Reuters Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures People sit a medical point in the besieged town of Douma, Eastern Ghouta. Reuters Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Syrian Civil Defense running to help survivors. AP Eastern Ghouta bombings: Syrian war in pictures Injured children receive medical treatment. EPA

On Thursday Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia would consider a resolution which did not cover Isis, the Nusra Front and other groups who are shelling residential quarters of Damascus.

However, it is al Qaeda linked groups in east Ghouta - believed to make up a small proportion of the rebel fighters there - which Mr Assad’s forces say they are currently targeting, raising the possibility any agreed ceasefire would not cover Ghouta.

The area is supposedly already covered by a 2017 “de-escalation” agreement brokered by several world powers.

At the Security Council in New York on Thursday several Western countries accused Russia of “stalling for time” by asking for changes to the draft which would create “loopholes” to continue the current assault.

France’s representative said that a failure to act on the “tragedy” in Syria could spell the end of the United Nations itself.

“Everything must be done to avoid a humanitarian crisis that flouts every principle the organisation stands for,” Francois Delattre added.

Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that the international community was suffering from “mass psychosis” over the situation.

“Global media outlets acting in coordination, disseminating the same rumours in recent days, in no way does anything to help improve understanding of this situation,” Mr Nebenzia told the council session.

Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Show all 8 1 /8 Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Sifting through plastic: the workshop uses plastic from bottles and other waste materials to produce liquid and gas fuels. The liquid is refined into gasoline, diesel and benzene fuels, which in turn are sold for domestic and commercial use Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, at the workshop in the rebel-held and besieged neighbourhood of Douma, Damascus Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Back to basics: a man checks the heat of a pipe pouring with fuel Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor, 20, must keep an eye on the burning plastic inside the workshop in Douma Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste A young man takes a container of the locally made fuel, which can be used for domestic heating and on farms and bakeries Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Abu Fahad on a rest break with his colleagues inside the workshop, where the air is heavy with toxic fumes Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Fuel drips into a container at the workshop. Most locals are glad of the family-run business, which has restored a degree of normality to the region Reuters Syrians make fuel from plastic waste Khodor extracts fuel from plastic in the workshop Reuters

East Ghouta’s rebels have responded to the Syrian and Russian operation with some of the worst rocket attacks on neighbouring areas of Damascus in years, killing 16 people.

Syrian state media reported that peace talks with the rebels over medical evacuations and aid deliveries in the last few days have failed.

Several previous UN-brokered ceasefire attempts in Syria have quickly fallen apart over the course of the seven-year-long war.