NNA – This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF Deputy Representative to Lebanon Ettie Higginsnbsp;ndash; to whom quoted text may be attributednbsp;ndash;nbsp;at today#39;s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva:
quot;I am speaking to you from Lebanon to highlight thenbsp;situation of childrennbsp;innbsp;light ofthenbsp;dangerousnbsp;escalationnbsp;that has had adversenbsp;effectsnbsp;onnbsp;their physicalnbsp;andnbsp;mental well-being.
On Monday alone, at leastnbsp;35nbsp;children were reportedly killed in Lebanon. Thisnbsp;is more than the number of childrennbsp;killed in Lebanon in the past 11 monthsnbsp;(previously 22).nbsp;
Elevennbsp;months innbsp;onenbsp;day.nbsp;35nbsp;children, innbsp;onenbsp;daynbsp;ndash; amongnbsp;492nbsp;reportedly killed.
Further, overnbsp;1645nbsp;people were injured on Monday, including children and women, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.nbsp;
Countless more children are in danger as I speak, exposed to ongoing attacks, displaced from their homes and unable to rely on an overstretched andnbsp;under-sourcednbsp;health system.
If we return to a conflict,nbsp;like those dark days of 2006, I fearnbsp;this timenbsp;could be even worse fornbsp;thenbsp;childrennbsp;of Lebanon.
Lebanon hasnbsp;recentlynbsp;been devastated by a protracted economic and political crisis;nbsp;the massive Port of Beirut explosion;nbsp;the impact of COVID-19;nbsp;and the fifth year of a crippling economic downturn that has sent poverty soaring. Many families are already at the brink.nbsp;And now thisnbsp;conflictnbsp;is makingnbsp;every one of these factorsnbsp;manynbsp;magnitudes worse.
Any further escalation in this conflict would be catastrophic for all children in Lebanon,nbsp;but especially families from villages and towns in the south and the Bekaa, in Eastern Lebanon,whonbsp;have been forced to leave their homes.nbsp;These newly displaced add tonbsp;the 112,000nbsp;peoplenbsp;who have beennbsp;displaced since October.nbsp;
87nbsp;newnbsp;shelters are accommodatingnbsp;the increasing number ofnbsp;displaced peoplenbsp;in the South, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Baalbeknbsp;ndash;Hermel, Bekaa and the North governorates.nbsp;
Schoolsnbsp;arenbsp;closednbsp;todaynbsp;acrossnbsp;the country, leaving children at home in fear. Their caregiversnbsp;are themselves afraid of the uncertainty of the situation.nbsp;Thisnbsp;fear cannot be overstated,nbsp;as the barrage of shelling and air raids continue, and increase, daily.
UNICEF has worked to support and protect the children of Lebanon for 76 years,nbsp;and we are ramping-up our response.
We arenbsp;preparingnbsp;to deliver food, water,nbsp;andessential suppliesnbsp;such as mattressesnbsp;andhygiene kitsnbsp;tonbsp;displaced families, especially those in collective shelters.
Wenbsp;have alreadynbsp;procured and delivered 100 tons of emergency medical suppliesnbsp;to hospitals facing severe shortages and supply stock-outsnbsp;and have morenbsp;medicalnbsp;suppliesnbsp;set to arrivenbsp;this week. nbsp;
UNICEF urgently calls for an immediate de-escalation and for all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civiliannbsp;infrastructurenbsp;and civilians, including children, humanitariannbsp;workersnbsp;and medical personnel.nbsp;
This includes facilitating the safe movement of civilians seeking safety.nbsp;
Yesterday was Lebanonrsquo;s worst day in 18 years.nbsp;This violence has to stopnbsp;immediatelyor the consequences will be unconscionable.quot;
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