Tue Nov 19 13:12:12 UTC 2024: ## Lebanon’s Children Bear Brunt of Ongoing Conflict: UNICEF

**BEIRUT, Lebanon** – The escalating conflict in Lebanon has claimed the lives of over 200 children in just two months, UNICEF reported Tuesday, highlighting a shocking average of three child deaths per day. The agency issued a desperate plea for immediate action to halt the violence, drawing parallels to the devastating situation in Gaza.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder painted a grim picture, stating that the deaths of these children are being met with a disturbing lack of response from those with the power to intervene. He described a “silent normalization of horror,” where the ongoing bloodshed is becoming accepted as the new normal.

Elder detailed numerous attacks in the past ten days alone, where children perished alongside their families. He emphasized the chilling similarities between the suffering of children in Lebanon and Gaza, where over 17,400 children have been killed according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The conflict has left hundreds of thousands of Lebanese children homeless, schools remain closed, and widespread emotional trauma is evident, yet meaningful intervention remains absent, according to UNICEF. Official figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health corroborate the severity of the crisis, reporting 231 child deaths among a total of 3,452 fatalities since the war began. A further 1,330 children are among the 14,664 injured.

The escalating violence stems from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began with Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel last October. Israel’s intensified offensive in late September, aimed at dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure, has resulted in a devastating civilian toll, including healthcare workers. Hezbollah continues to retaliate with rocket fire into Israeli territory. UNICEF’s urgent appeal underscores the desperate need for an immediate end to the violence to protect Lebanon’s children.

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