Nearly 800 children killed, 360,000 displaced by Israeli attacks on Lebanon

Nearly 800 children have been killed and around 360,000 displaced during nearly three years of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, drawing condemnation from Lebanese officials and groups defending children's rights.

Israeli attacks continued to claim the lives of children in the past 24 hours, with two children killed and four others injured in an airstrike on a house in the town of Kfar Rumman in the southern Nabatieh district.

Three other children were injured in Israeli strikes targeting the town of Arabsalim and the city of Nabatieh.

The attacks came despite a framework agreement signed under US sponsorship on June 26, which provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Sunday that the attacks constitute "a dangerous escalation that goes beyond the repeated violations of the cessation-of-hostilities agreement and the framework agreement."

Aoun held Israel fully responsible for the continuing escalation and called on the US and the international community to act urgently to halt the violations and hold those responsible accountable.

According to the latest available detailed figures from the Lebanese Health Ministry, 259 children were among 4,362 people killed in Israeli attacks since March 2.

Another 1,050 children were among 12,378 people injured during the same period.

• Nearly 800 children killed

Lebanese lawmaker Inaya Ezzeddine, who chairs the Lebanese parliament's Women and Children Committee, said Saturday that "nearly 800 children were killed during the two Israeli wars in 2024 and 2026."

"A large number of children suffered severe injuries and underwent multiple surgeries, while some lost limbs or eyes," said Ezzeddine, who also serves as Lebanon's national coordinator for food systems transformation.

"This means they will need years of treatment and medical care, alongside specialized psychological, emotional, and social support," she added.

Ezzeddine said around 360,000 children were displaced during the Israeli wars, out of approximately 1.2 million people forced from their homes.

Many children were displaced more than once after areas where they had sought shelter were also attacked, she said.

"Some children were targeted alongside their families on displacement routes or while being forcibly driven from their homes," the lawmaker added.

Ezzeddine warned that the consequences for children are not limited to physical injuries but also include "invisible wounds" that could have a longer-lasting impact on their lives.

Hundreds of thousands of children require long-term plans for psychological treatment and emotional and social support to help them cope with loss, chronic fear, and a persistent lack of safety, she said.

• UNICEF warning

UNICEF has repeatedly warned about the impact of the Israeli attacks on Lebanese children and called for an end to the violence.

In May, the UN agency said children in Lebanon continue to pay "the highest price" as a result of persistent violence, displacement, and psychological trauma, despite a ceasefire announced on April 17.

It called on all parties to protect children, comply with international humanitarian law, and take all necessary measures to ensure the ceasefire remained in effect.

Israel has waged attacks on Lebanon since March 2, killing 4,362 people and injuring 12,378 others, while forcing more than 1 million people from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war. During the current offensive, its forces have advanced more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.