UNICEF: More Than 200 Children Died In Lebanon In Less Than Two Months

JAKARTA - The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is confused by the inaction of those capable of stopping violence in Lebanon, when more than 200 children died in the country in less than two months.

That was conveyed by UNICEF spokesman James Elder at a press conference in Palais des Nations, Geneva on Tuesday.

"Although more than 200 children died in Lebanon in less than two months, a puzzling pattern has emerged, their deaths were met with the quiescence of those able to stop this violence," he said, quoted from the UNICEF website November 19.

"For Lebanese children, this has become a normalization of the silent horror," he continued.

Further explained, in the last 10 days many children have died in Lebanon. On November 10, seven children died from the same extended family, when all 27 of their family members died while seeking refuge on Mount Lebanon after fleeing violence in the south.

A day later, two more children died with their mother. Ten others were injured. On Tuesday, 13 children were killed and 13 others injured.

On Wednesday, four children died, again trying to escape the fighting in the south. A day later, three other children died.

Then on Saturday, five children died, including 3 from the same family. And on Sunday, two 4-year-old twins were killed.

"Indeed, over the past two months, an average of more than three children have died in Lebanon every day. Many have been injured and traumatized," he continued.

"We must hope that humanity will never again witness the massacre of children in Gaza, despite the terrible similarities for children in Lebanon," he continued.

It said the similarities he saw in the conflict in Gaza and Lebanon were hundreds of thousands of children losing their homes, disproportionate attacks and frequent hit infrastructure related to children, school closures due to attacks, severe psychological impacts on children with signs of worrying emotional turmoil becoming increasingly evident.

"And, the most worrying agreement with Gaza, the increasing number of children killed has not caused meaningful responses from those of influence," he said.

He added that in Lebanon, just like what happened in Gaza, things that cannot be tolerated have turned into acceptable things. And terrible things turn out to be something to be expected.

Israel stepped up its attack on Lebanon to target the militant group Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah have been attacking each other cross-border since October 8, 2023, the day after the conflict in Gaza broke out, in solidarity with the Hamas militant group.

Late last September, Israel stepped up attacks on southern Lebanon and Hezbollah's targets, before carrying out a ground attack on Lebanon on October 1.