Lebanon’s children hit hard by overlapping crises

By Nathan Morley

Children in Lebanon are increasingly bearing the brunt of the country’s overlapping crises, facing rising casualties, mass displacement, severe food insecurity and deep psychological trauma, aid agencies say.

More than 770,000 children are experiencing heightened distress after repeated exposure to violence, loss and instability, with many unable to return home because of the threat of unexploded ordnance.

Thousands of families have been uprooted since March.

Over the last few months, widespread destruction has damaged homes, schools and essential services, including water and sanitation systems.

Lebanon is undergoing one of the worst economic collapses in modern history. The Lebanese lira lost more than 98% of its value between 2023 and early 2024, triggering hyperinflation and wiping out the savings of ordinary families.

Roughly 80% of the population now lives in poverty, with limited access to healthcare, electricity and education.

Meanwhile, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continued to observe daily Israeli violations of Lebanon’s airspace, roadblocks and activities in its territorial waters despite a 17 April conditional ceasefire agreed by Israel and the Lebanese Government reached via US-led talks.

Between Thursday and Sunday, peacekeepers recorded 125 air violations, with the combined total overflight time exceeding 418 hours.

National authorities say more than 4,300 people have been killed and 12,200 more have been injured in Lebanon since Iran-backed Hezbollah militants joined the regional war triggered by US-Israeli attacks on 2 March.