At least 59 children in Lebanon suffered injuries or lost their lives in the past week, even after a ceasefire agreement, as per UNICEF. Since the ceasefire on April 16-17, 23 children died and 93 were injured, adding to a total of 200 fatalities and 806 injuries since March 2. A surge in Israeli strikes on Wednesday led to the deaths of 33 individuals, including women and children, in southern and central Lebanon.
“Children are facing death and harm instead of returning to normalcy,” expressed UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder. Despite the ceasefire, children are enduring ongoing violence and trauma with potential long-term effects. UNICEF highlighted that over 770,000 Lebanese children are grappling with severe psychological distress due to continuous exposure to violence, displacement, and grief.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported drone incidents near its positions in southern Lebanon, jeopardizing peacekeepers and UN facilities. Several drones, suspected to be from Hezbollah, exploded near the UN headquarters in Naqoura, raising concerns about Israeli soldiers’ presence. UNIFIL expressed worries about Hezbollah and Israeli activities near UN positions, condemning Israeli troop movements and non-state actors’ actions near their facilities.
