11 Children Every Day: UNICEF Warns Lebanon’s Youngest Are Paying the Price of Renewed Strikes

At least 11 children have been killed or injured every day in Lebanon over the past week due to renewed Israeli strikes, despite an active ceasefire, according to the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF.

The warning was issued on Friday as heavy Israeli airstrikes targeted towns and villages across southern Lebanon overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, following Israel’s declaration of a new combat zone in the region. Additionally, Israeli forces carried out strikes on a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Thursday, increasing concerns that the fragile ceasefire is rapidly deteriorating.

UNICEF reported that 77 children were killed or injured in just the last seven days, based on figures from Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. Since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire began on April 16, at least 55 children have died and 212 have been injured, according to the agency.

Ceasefire Failing to Protect Civilians

The ceasefire announced by Washington aimed to end months of fighting between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, which escalated following clashes that began on March 2.

However, ongoing strikes in southern Lebanon have heightened concerns about civilian safety, especially for children living near combat zones.

“Under international humanitarian law, children and civilian infrastructure must be protected,” said UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires during a briefing on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Lebanon, as reported by the U.N. agency on Friday.

Pires also urged all parties involved in the conflict to fully respect the ceasefire agreement. The recent violence has forced many families in southern Lebanon to flee multiple times as bombardments continue near residential areas and villages.

Southern Lebanon Faces Renewed Fear

Overnight strikes targeted several towns in southern Lebanon after Israel expanded its military operations in areas near the border. Lebanese residents have expressed growing fears that the region is slipping back into a wider conflict despite diplomatic efforts to contain the violence.

Israeli officials state that their operations are focused on Hezbollah infrastructure; however, humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that civilians, particularly children, are increasingly suffering the consequences of the escalating hostilities.

Latest figures from UNICEF indicate that children are among the most vulnerable victims of the renewed fighting, with casualty numbers continuing to rise even after a ceasefire was announced.

Humanitarian Concerns Continue to Grow

Aid agencies have warned that ongoing instability in southern Lebanon could worsen conditions for displaced families, as well as for schools and medical facilities that have already been strained by months of conflict.

UNICEF’s latest warning adds to the growing international concern over the increasing civilian toll as military activity intensifies in various parts of Lebanon.

While diplomatic efforts to maintain the ceasefire continue, humanitarian organizations highlight that the rising number of child casualties underscores the fragility of the truce.