UNICEF warns of normalized horrors as Lebanon's toll mounts
UNICEF warns of the "silent normalization of horror" in Lebanon, where over two months of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah have resulted in the deaths of more than 200 children and injuries to over 1,100, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder reported during a press conference in Geneva.
James Elder discussed the alarming acceptance of unacceptable conditions. The UNICEF spokesperson also emphasized the hope that such a massacre of children, like that in the Gaza Strip, will never occur again in the future.
We now see terrifying similarities between the situations in Gaza and Lebanon, noted the UNICEF spokesperson.
The organization does not attribute responsibility to any side for the deaths of Lebanese children. However, as Elder noted, "anyone following the media should have a clear idea of how these children died, where the rockets were fired from, where the children were located, where they were fleeing... just like in Gaza."
The conflict escalated nearly two months ago when Israel began massive airstrikes on Lebanon, followed by a ground operation in the southern part of the country, with the stated aim of eliminating the threat from Hezbollah. The Shiite group, recognized by the West as a terrorist organization, has been regularly shelling Israel since the war erupted in the Gaza Strip, which has prompted strong counterattacks.
According to the Ministry of Health in Beirut, after more than a year of mutual attacks, the death toll in Lebanon has exceeded 3,500 people, most of whom died in the last two months. It is estimated that about 1.2 million people have fled their homes. Lebanese media and authorities report that some of the victims are civilians.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Authority, nearly 44,000 people have died in the ongoing war of over a year by Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas-controlled authority emphasizes that most of the victims are civilians, especially women and children. The UN analyzed data concerning over 8,000 killed in Gaza during the first six months of the war and confirmed that 44 percent of them were children, and 26 percent were women.
