UNICEF launches $105m appeal for Lebanon's children

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday launched an urgent appeal to raise $105 million over the next three months to help children and families in Lebanon.

In a statement the UN agency said: “The dangerous escalation of the conflict in Lebanon has led to a rapidly deteriorating situation for children with needs outstripping the speed at which humanitarian agencies can respond with lifesaving interventions.”

“The scale and pace of need in Lebanon are overwhelming,” it added, calling on the international community “to mobilise humanitarian support and ensure that supply routes into Lebanon remain open, allowing for the rapid and safe delivery of essential supplies to children in need.”

UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Edouard Beigbeder, said, “The escalation in hostilities is catastrophic for all children in Lebanon,” adding that “Countless children remain in great danger, exposed to ongoing attacks, forced displacement and unable to rely on an overstretched and under-sourced healthcare system.”

On 23 September, the Israeli occupation army launched its biggest attack on Lebanon in almost 20 years. It targeted areas in the south of the country and in the capital Beirut and killed numerous Hezbollah commanders including the group’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah.

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