DaysofPal- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported a sharp rise in child casualties in Lebanon, revealing that 77 children were killed or injured over the past seven days alone, an average of 11 children every 24 hours. The alarming figures come as Israeli airstrikes continue to intensify across various parts of the country despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since April.
According to UNICEF, a total of 55 children have been killed and 212 others wounded since the ceasefire took effect. The truce, announced by the United States on April 16, was intended to halt the conflict that erupted on March 2 between Israel and Hezbollah.
UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires described the toll on children as “horrific,” warning that ongoing military operations continue to exact a devastating price on Lebanon’s civilian population, particularly its youngest residents.
The organization’s warning coincides with a renewed escalation in Israeli military activity across Lebanon. Israel has intensified air raids on towns and villages after declaring southern Lebanon and all areas south of the Zahrani River a combat zone. On Thursday, an Israeli strike also targeted a building in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area that has frequently come under attack during the conflict.
Beyond the growing humanitarian concerns, Lebanese officials have raised alarms over the threat posed to the country’s cultural and historical heritage. Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salame warned that several of Lebanon’s most significant archaeological sites now face serious danger as military operations expand.
Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Salame said shells had landed near the ancient city of Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its archaeological remains. He added that the historic Arnoun Castle, commonly known as Beaufort Castle, had been directly struck, with several projectiles reportedly hitting the fortress.
“The escalation of these battles places these sites in serious danger,” Salame said, noting that Israel had recently warned residents of Tyre to evacuate before launching intensive strikes on the city, which contains some of the region’s most important Roman-era ruins.
Footage circulating after the attacks showed flames and thick black smoke rising from a building in Tyre’s archaeological district following an Israeli airstrike, underscoring growing fears that both civilian lives and irreplaceable cultural landmarks are increasingly at risk as the conflict deepens.
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