Israel's attacks kill, wound average of four children per day in Lebanon despite 'ceasefire'
Daniel Khalili-Tari
Save the Children reports that 22 children have been killed and 89 wounded in the first 25 days of the Lebanon ceasefire, raising the total child death toll since early March to nearly 200. The group decries ongoing Israeli airstrikes on civilians and calls for a permanent truce. Displacement camp conditions remain dire, with 125,000 people, including 44,800 children, facing overcrowding and disease risks.
Save the Children reported on May 13 that Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed or wounded an average of more than four children each day during the first 25 days of a ceasefire that took effect on April 16.
Citing data from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the organization said at least 22 children were killed and 89 wounded since the temporary truce between Hezbollah and Israel began. The figures bring the total number of children killed in Israeli attacks since hostilities escalated again on March 2 to nearly 200, out of roughly 2,900 total fatalities.
The report quotes 10-year-old Tala, who is living in a displacement camp after fleeing her home in southern Lebanon: 'I just want the war to end so I can go home and sleep in my own bed. I miss school, my teachers and my friends; I want to be able to study and play again.'
Israel says its air force has struck more than 1,100 targets across Lebanon since mid-April, claiming they were aimed at Hezbollah. But Nora Ingdal, Save the Children’s country director in Lebanon, said: “Attacks on civilians have not stopped – they are just continuing under a different name. My colleagues tell me airstrikes in some areas are worse than ever. Children will not be safe until there is a permanent, secure ceasefire with no violations.”
The violence has displaced more than one million people. Since the ceasefire, the number of families seeking shelter in collective camps has risen by 5 percent. About 125,000 people – including 44,800 children, or 36 percent of the total – now live in these camps. Living conditions are dire because of overcrowding and lack of sanitation, raising the risk of disease outbreaks.
In a related development, Lebanon and Israel are expected to hold direct talks in Washington on May 15–16 aimed at ending the war. Both countries have pledged to disarm Hezbollah, the Iran-backed faction that wields major political influence in Lebanon and is a key member of Tehran’s 'axis of resistance'. Hezbollah, however, says it will not hand over its weapons. On May 13, leader Naim Qassem warned that the group’s arms should not be part of the upcoming negotiations.
