On average 11 children killed or injured daily in past week in Lebanon, says UN children’s agency

GENEVA – An average of 11 children have been killed or injured every 24 hours in Lebanon in the last week, the UN’s children’s agency said on May 29, as Israel expanded strikes across the country in spite of a ceasefire being in place.

Heavy Israeli strikes hit towns and villages in southern Lebanon overnight on May 27 and into May 28, after Israel declared a new swathe of the area “a combat zone”.

On May 28, an Israeli strike hit a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut amid a ceasefire that has failed to halt fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah in south Lebanon.

A total of 77 children have been killed or injured in the last seven days, UNICEF said, citing figures provided by Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

Since the ceasefire began in April, 55 children have been killed, and 212 injured, according to the agency.

UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires called for all parties to fully respect the ceasefire.

“Under international humanitarian law, children and civilian infrastructure must be protected,” he said.

The ceasefire announced by Washington on April 16 was meant to halt the war raging between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah since March 2.

The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) also said on May 29 that the threat from the expansion of military activities raised grave health concerns for the Lebanese population.

Since the ceasefire took effect, a total of 27 attacks on healthcare facilities in Lebanon have been reported, resulting in 25 deaths and 42 injuries, according to the WHO. A total of 16 hospitals and 13 primary healthcare centres have been damaged in attacks, it added. REUTERS