The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday that over 200 children were killed in less than two months since Israel escalated its military operations in Lebanon.
UNICEF spokesman James Elder condemned the lack of global action, emphasizing that these deaths have been met with inertia from those able to stop this violence.
“Despite more than 200 children killed in Lebanon in less than two months, their deaths are met with inertia, leaving a silent normalization of horror for the children of Lebanon,” Elder said during a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
The situation has become increasingly dire, with more than three children killed daily.
Elder highlighted the stark parallels between the violence in Lebanon and Gaza, noting that children are disproportionately affected by attacks on infrastructure, medical facilities are under siege, and the psychological impact on children is severe.
He stressed that while UNICEF has provided significant aid, including blankets, medical supplies, and psychosocial support, the scale of the crisis far exceeds available resources.
With escalating violence and schools closed once again, UNICEF expressed alarm that the suffering of Lebanon’s children is becoming an unchallenged norm. He called for immediate international action to end the violence and protect children from further harm.
“Once more, the cries of children go unheard, and the world’s silence grows deafening,” Elder concluded. “We must not allow this unimaginable suffering to become the new normal.”
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