UNICEF raises alarm over escalating tensions after 24 children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has expressed grave concern over the escalating violence in Israel and Lebanon, particularly following reports of attacks that claimed at least 24 children's lives in southern Lebanon on Monday.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell expressed her deep concern in a statement over the escalating violence in Lebanon and Israel.

"I am deeply alarmed by the ongoing surge of attacks in Lebanon and Israel, which earlier today reportedly claimed the lives of at least 24 children in southern Lebanon," she said, emphasizing that the intensified violence represents a "dangerous escalation" for civilians in the region.

She noted that children in both Lebanon and Israel are experiencing severe psychological trauma due to continuous airstrikes and displacement from their homes.

Russell urged all parties involved to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, infrastructure, humanitarian workers, and medical personnel.

Israel has launched a barrage of airstrikes into southern and eastern Lebanon, with Lebanese health authorities saying that at least 492 people have been killed, including 35 children, and 1,645 injured in the attacks since Monday morning, which have also forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the beginning of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed over 41,400 people, the majority of whom are women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year.

Israeli forces intensified their attacks on Lebanon, ignoring the international community's warnings that they would risk spreading the Gaza conflict to other regions.