Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed nearly 800 children over three years. Another roughly 360,000 children have been displaced. Lebanese government officials and various organizations working on children’s rights have expressed concern and condemnation over the situation.
Children were also killed and injured in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours. An airstrike on a house in the town of Kafr Rumman, Nabatieh district, southern Lebanon, killed two children and wounded four. Three more children were wounded in Israeli strikes on the towns of Arabsalim and Nabatieh.
These attacks occurred despite a framework agreement brokered by the United States and signed on June 26. That agreement calls for a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory, in exchange for deployment of the Lebanese army in that area.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the attacks Sunday as a “dangerous escalation.”
He said the situation has grown even more serious than repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement and the framework understanding.
Aoun placed full blame for the ongoing tensions on Israel. He called on the United States and the international community to take urgent action to stop the attacks and violations of the agreement. The Lebanese president also demanded that those responsible be held accountable.
Nearly 800 children killed in two wars
Inaya Ezzeddine, head of the Lebanese parliament’s women and children’s affairs committee, said Saturday that nearly 800 children have been killed in the two Israeli wars of 2024 and 2026.
She said a large number of children have suffered severe injuries. Many have had to undergo surgery multiple times. Some have lost limbs or their eyesight.
Ezzeddine said many of these children will need years of medical treatment and health care, along with specialized psychological, emotional and social support.
According to her figures, about 360,000 children have been displaced across the two Israeli wars. The total number of people forced from their homes is about 1.2 million.
Ezzeddine said many areas where people sought shelter were later attacked as well, forcing many children to be displaced more than once.
She added that some children were attacked along with family members while being displaced or forcibly removed from their homes.
Ezzeddine also warned that the impact of these attacks on children isn’t limited to physical harm. In her view, many of these children will grow up carrying “invisible wounds” whose effects could last a lifetime.
She said millions of children will need long-term psychological treatment and emotional and social support to cope with the loss of loved ones, prolonged fear and insecurity.
4,362 killed in ongoing attacks
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry’s latest detailed figures, 4,362 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, including 259 children. Over the same period, 12,378 people have been wounded, including 1,050 children.
According to Lebanese authorities, more than 1 million people in the country have been forced from their homes by Israeli attacks.
UNICEF warning
UNICEF, the U.N.’s children’s agency, has repeatedly warned about the devastating impact of Israeli attacks on children in Lebanon.
In May, the agency said Lebanon’s children were paying “the highest price” due to prolonged violence, displacement and psychological trauma. It noted that even after a ceasefire was declared on April 17, the situation for children had not improved.
UNICEF has called on all parties to ensure the protection of children. It has also called for compliance with international humanitarian law and for all necessary steps to keep the ceasefire in effect.
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continue in various areas of southern Lebanon. Israeli forces still occupy some areas in the country’s south — some held for decades, others seized during the 2023-2024 war.
In the current operation, Israeli forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers into Lebanese territory.