Mourners carry the casket of Ibraheem, a child who was killed in an Israeli strike along with his parents Hanan Shehab and Hassan Abdullah, and his siblings Leen, Ali and Julia, during their funeral in Wardaniyeh, Lebanon, June 3, 2026. (Credit: Aziz Taher/ Reuters)
BEIRUT — In Lebanon, Israeli strikes have killed 247 children and injured 992 — an average of 12 children killed or maimed every day — since the war between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF representative in Lebanon, said Wednesday.
Additionally, "more than 770,000 children are experiencing deep distress due to their repeated exposure to violence, the loss of loved ones and displacement," he said in a statement calling for a better future for young Lebanese despite the ongoing conflict.
"While hope for an end to hostilities has been rekindled, what children need is much more than the end of violence: they need protection, well-being and a safe future. The numbers alone do not fully reflect the true scale of the crisis. Beyond the children killed and maimed, an entire generation has seen its childhood thrown into turmoil. Their sense of security, essential for every child to grow up and thrive, remains deeply undermined," Corsi said.
"For more than three months, Lebanon’s children have been facing hardships no child should ever have to endure. Many have fled their homes repeatedly, have witnessed violence firsthand, have lost loved ones and have seen their schools, communities and sense of safety collapse," he continued.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel on March 2. Despite a cease-fire declared on April 17, the war has continued in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli army has launched a ground offensive and now occupies part of the territory.
In its latest casualty report issued on Wednesday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said Israeli strikes had killed 3,884 and wounded 11,856 — 58 more killed and five more injured in the past 24 hours alone — despite a decrease in Israeli attacks since Sunday, following the announcement of a deal between Iran and the United States.
"The scale of physical and psychological harm we are witnessing is unacceptable, and children continue to pay a heavy price for this conflict. It is essential to end the violence to restore access to education and other basic services, and to provide children with a prospect for recovery and a safer future," Corsi said Wednesday. And he warned: "Without sustained support, many children risk bearing the consequences of this war for many more years to come."
Corsi also stressed that "Lebanon’s children must have the opportunity not only to come out of this crisis, but also to heal from it and reclaim the future that the conflict has put at risk."
"UNICEF reiterates its urgent call for a lasting cessation of hostilities. Children must be protected from further harm and schools, hospitals, water supply networks and other civilian infrastructure must be spared as a matter of urgency. Humanitarian access must be ensured and international law must be respected," he said.
