400,000 Children Displaced in Lebanon as a Result of Israeli Airstrikes, Reports UN
During the conflict, the Israeli military has issued evacuation notices to schools and hospitals used by Hezbollah as command centers.
Ted Chaiban, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) deputy executive director, mentioned in an X post on Oct. 15 that the conflict has escalated into a war.
While some children have found refuge with families, others have been directed to shelters like the one visited by Chaiban in Zahle, Lebanon.
At the school-turned-shelter, UNICEF staff provided nutritional, psychosocial, and educational support to children and families, along with sanitation and water assistance for over 400 people in a school ill-equipped for such a task.
Chaiban emphasized the need for support and funding for these activities but stressed that what the country truly needs is an end to violations of international humanitarian law.
He advocated for a ceasefire, stating, “This madness needs to stop.”
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Following the heightened tensions between Hezbollah and Israel on Sept. 17, 2024, resulting in deadly Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 23 attacks on healthcare facilities, leading to 72 deaths and 43 injuries among patients and healthcare workers.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) explained that they issued evacuation notices for schools and hospitals used by Hezbollah as command centers before conducting an airstrike on Oct. 10.
The IDF stated, “Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence.”
The U.N. has accused the IDF of committing war crimes in response to Hezbollah’s actions.
The IDF condemned Hamas’ use of schools and healthcare facilities as command centers as a “systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure in violation of international law.”
In September, the IDF targeted Lebanese homes used by Hezbollah operatives for storing weapons in their conflict with Israel.
Before launching the airstrikes, the IDF issued evacuation warnings to Lebanese villagers.
“We advise civilians from Lebanese villages located in or near buildings and areas used by Hezbollah for military purposes, like weapon storage, to evacuate immediately. Hezbollah is putting you and your families in danger.”
Dan M. Berger contributed to this report.
