The conflict in the Middle East plunges Lebanon into a spiral of violence, marked by bombings and exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, which are hitting civilians hard, especially children. According to UNICEF, more than 820,000 people have been displaced in a few weeks, including nearly 300,000 children, forced to flee in panic, often without taking anything with them. Many spent their first nights in the street before finding refuge in overcrowded shelters or with relatives. The toll is already heavy: more than a hundred children killed and hundreds injured in just a few weeks. Some, seriously injured, wake up after medical treatment to learn that their parents, siblings, or even sisters have been killed. “What needs to be understood is that there are explosions from morning till night in Lebanon, including in Beirut. And this is the second time in 18 months,” explains Christophe Boulierac, spokesperson for UNICEF, in an interview with UN News in Geneva. “They need everything. In fact, they have nothing left,” he emphasizes, describing a situation where vital needs – water, medical care, education – are compounded by deep trauma, in a country once again shaken by daily explosions. (Interview: Christophe Boulierac, spokesperson for UNICEF; statements collected by Nancy Sarkis, UN News in Geneva)
