The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, has described the “intensifying conflict” involving the US, Israel, and Iran as a “catastrophic” situation for millions of children across the Middle East.
In a statement released by the agency, it was revealed that more than 1,100 children have been reported injured or killed since the violence started on 28 February. The death toll includes 200 children in Iran, 91 in Lebanon, four in Israel, and one in Kuwait.
UNICEF warned that these casualty figures are “likely to climb” as the violence continues to spread and intensify. The crisis has also had a devastating impact on education and stability, with millions of children missing schooling and hundreds of thousands displaced by “unrelenting bombardment”.
“Nothing justifies the killing and maiming of children, or the destruction and disruption of essential services that children depend on,” the agency stated.
Emphasising the urgency of the situation, UNICEF noted that the region’s 200 million children are “counting on the world to act quickly” to address the crisis.
