The United Nations children’s agency says Lebanon is seeing nearly 19,000 children forced from their homes every day as Israeli military strikes continue across the country. At a UN briefing in Geneva today, UNICEF’s representative in Lebanon, Marcoluigi Corsi, said more than 370,000 children had been displaced in the span of just three weeks. The displacement has not been limited to children alone. More than a million people in total have been uprooted, representing roughly a fifth of Lebanon’s entire population, all within a single month. Corsi described the pace and breadth of the crisis as breathtaking, painting a picture of sudden, chaotic movement that has scattered families and emptied out whole communities.

 

With no indication that the situation is easing, humanitarian organisations are pressing the international community to step up and respond. The figures emerging from Lebanon point to one of the most rapid mass displacement events, raising urgent questions about shelter, safety and support for those caught in the crisis. The displacement is a direct result of intensifying Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which Israel says are targeting Hezbollah militants operating in the country.