UNICEF Says 77 Lebanese Children Were Killed or Injured in 7 Days as Israeli Strikes Expand
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 29
UNICEF Says 77 Lebanese Children Were Killed or Injured in 7 Days as Israeli Strikes Expand
8 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 29
Seventy-seven children were killed or injured in Lebanon over the past seven days—about 11 every 24 hours—UNICEF said, citing Lebanese health ministry data.
The toll followed expanded Israeli strikes despite an April 16 ceasefire, including heavy overnight attacks on southern towns and villages and a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs after Israel declared a new combat zone.
Since the ceasefire began, 55 children have been killed and 212 injured, prompting UNICEF to urge all parties to respect the truce and protect children and civilian infrastructure under international law.
The WHO said the widening military activity also threatens public health: 27 attacks on healthcare facilities have been reported since the ceasefire, killing 25 people, injuring 42 and damaging 16 hospitals and 13 primary care centres.
With children killed daily and hospitals bombed, why has international law completely failed to protect civilians in Lebanon?
How are Hezbollah’s new, low-cost drones overwhelming Israel's defenses and pushing the region to the brink of all-out war?
As a US-brokered ceasefire collapses, is Israel's escalation a defensive necessity or a strategy to sabotage wider peace talks?
Escalation in Lebanon: 2,000+ Dead, Ceasefire Fails, and Children Face Humanitarian Catastrophe
Overview
The recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel in response to an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader, following earlier attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. Israel then launched a major air and ground campaign across Lebanon. Although a ceasefire was agreed on April 17, 2026, and later extended, Israeli attacks on Lebanon continued, with repeated strikes on Hezbollah targets and civilian areas. This ongoing violence, despite ceasefire efforts, has caused severe humanitarian and psychological crises, especially for children, and highlights the deep regional tensions fueling the conflict.