UNICEF Warns of ‘Devastating Toll’ on Children as Violence Escalates in Lebanon

“The intensification of hostilities continues to exact a devastating and inhumane toll on children,” UNICEF said.

The intensifying conflict in Lebanon is inflicting a catastrophic humanitarian impact on children, with dozens reportedly killed in a single day of airstrikes, UNICEF has warned, calling for urgent protection of civilians and an immediate halt to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

In a stark statement, the UN children’s agency described the situation as “devastating and inhumane,” highlighting the growing number of child casualties and the deepening trauma faced by families across the country.

Dozens of Children Killed in Renewed Strikes

According to UNICEF, 33 children were reportedly killed and 153 injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes that struck across Lebanon, even as hopes briefly rose following news of a potential regional ceasefire.

The attacks came amid a surge in hostilities, with entire communities caught in intense bombardments.

“The intensification of hostilities continues to exact a devastating and inhumane toll on children,” UNICEF said.

The latest casualties add to an already alarming figure, with around 600 children killed or injured since 2 March, underscoring the escalating human cost of the conflict.

Children Trapped Under Rubble, Families Torn Apart

UNICEF reports that rescue teams are continuing to pull children from beneath collapsed buildings, while others remain missing or separated from their families.

Survivors are facing profound psychological trauma, having endured:

• The loss of loved ones

• Destruction of homes and communities

• Repeated displacement and insecurity

Across Lebanon, more than one million people have been displaced, including an estimated 390,000 children—many forced to flee multiple times.

For children, the repeated cycles of displacement are compounding emotional distress and disrupting access to basic services such as education and healthcare.

Humanitarian Law Violations Raise Alarm

UNICEF stressed that international humanitarian law places clear obligations on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, especially children, and to avoid targeting civilian infrastructure.

“The use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas poses a deadly threat for children. They must stop,” the agency said.

The organisation called for:

• Immediate protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure

• Safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access

• Greater adherence to international humanitarian law

Emergency Response Scaled Up as Needs Surge

Despite worsening conditions, UNICEF teams remain on the ground in Beirut and other affected areas, working to provide urgent assistance to children and families.

Key response efforts include:

• Treating injured children through the Assistance and Care for War-Wounded and Affected Children (ACWA) programme

• Delivering essential supplies to shelters

• Supplying medical equipment and resources to public health facilities

• Deploying mobile units to provide emergency care to displaced populations

As needs continue to rise, UNICEF is scaling up operations, though access and security challenges remain significant.

Ceasefire Efforts at Risk

The escalation in Lebanon is also raising broader regional concerns. While ceasefire efforts in other areas have offered some hope, continued military activity in Lebanon threatens to undermine fragile progress toward peace.

Echoing concerns raised by the UN Secretary-General, UNICEF warned that ongoing violence poses a serious risk to wider ceasefire efforts and long-term stability in the region.

A Call Not to Forget Lebanon’s Children

UNICEF’s message is clear: amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and fragile ceasefire negotiations, children in Lebanon must not be overlooked.

“The children in Lebanon cannot be left behind,” the agency said, urging the international community to prioritise their protection and support.

As the conflict intensifies, the humanitarian toll continues to mount—placing Lebanon’s youngest and most vulnerable at the centre of a crisis demanding urgent global attention.