Addressing the United Nations Secretary-General’s noon briefing, Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, voiced grave concern over the mounting toll on young lives.
“Twenty-three days into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, children across the region are paying a devastating price,” Chaiban said, cautioning that any prolonged or wider conflict could have catastrophic consequences.
“More than 2,100 children have been killed or injured, including 206 in Iran and 118 in Lebanon, four in Israel and one in Kuwait. These are reported figures and are expected to rise as the violence continues. That is an average of approximately 87 children either killed or injured every day since the beginning of the war,” he said.
“Behind these numbers are parents, grandparents, teachers, brothers, and sisters. Communities, cities, and nations are in shock.”
He said the crisis has been exacerbated by large-scale displacement. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, estimated that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran, including 864,000 children.
In Lebanon, more than 1 million people have been displaced, including around 370,000 children, with many families seeking shelter in schools and public buildings. Thousands have also crossed into Syria.
“Even before the current escalation, nearly 44.8 million children across the region were living in conflict-affected settings, underscoring the scale of vulnerability. Widespread destruction of homes, schools and hospitals has further strained already fragile systems, while disrupted supply chains have limited access to essential services.”
Drawing from his recent visit to Lebanon, Chaiban described harrowing conditions on the ground. “At a hospital in Beirut, I met a 14-year-old girl, Nour, who was being treated for severe injuries after her home was bombed. She said she had been asleep in her room when she woke up buried under stones and rubble. She was screaming, as were others around her, while her entire family had also been injured. She described feeling an overwhelming urge to cry out so someone would come to help. She was eventually pulled from the debris and is now recovering, but hundreds of other children were not as fortunate.”
“This is not an isolated incident; it reflects the broader reality facing children and families across Lebanon and other parts of the region.”
He said the conflict has also severely disrupted education, with more than 350 public schools in Lebanon now being used as shelters, affecting nearly 100,000 students.
Calling for urgent global action, Chaiban stressed the need to uphold international humanitarian law.
The UN has issued a flash appeal for $308 million, including $48.2 million for UNICEF, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), for a three-month period.
UNICEF has urged an immediate ceasefire, protection of civilians, unimpeded humanitarian access, and urgent financial support.