هذه المقالة متاحة أيضًا بـ: العربية (Arabic)
The ongoing war in Lebanon is taking a severe toll on children, with devastating physical injuries and lasting emotional trauma, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned today.
The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reports that 166 children have lost their lives since October 2023, with at least 1,168 others injured. This tragic toll continues to rise. Since October 4, 2024, at least one child has been killed and 10 injured each day. While many children have survived the bombings without physical injury, they are acutely distressed by the violence and chaos around them.
“UNICEF teams on the ground are witnessing troubling signs of emotional and physical strain among children,” said Russell. “Children in Lebanon are suffering from heightened fear, separation anxiety, and an increased sense of insecurity. Many are experiencing disrupted sleep, nightmares, headaches, and loss of appetite.”
Stripped of the stability and support of school, these children are deprived of safe spaces essential for their well-being. “War is destroying the safe and nurturing environments children need, leading to health and psychological risks that can last a lifetime,” Russell emphasized.
Since September 23, 2024, UNICEF has reached over 9,600 children and caregivers with psychological first aid and provided community-based psychosocial support to nearly 10,000 children across Lebanon.
Yet, as Russell highlighted, “The path to true recovery can only begin when the violence ends. Children in Lebanon need a permanent and immediate ceasefire to safely access essential services and start healing from the trauma of war.”
UNICEF calls for urgent action to prevent further child casualties and to safeguard the future of every child in Lebanon.
