A good month after the start of the Iran war, according to the UN children’s fund UNICEF, more than 340 children have already been killed and thousands injured in the Middle East region. According to the organization, 216 children died in Iran, 124 in Lebanon, 4 children in Israel and one child in Kuwait. More than 1,700 children were injured in Iran, more than 400 in Lebanon and more than 850 in Israel. Children were also injured in Bahrain and Jordan.
UNICEF called for an immediate end to hostilities. All parties to the conflict should exercise the greatest possible restraint. The civilian population – especially children – and civilian facilities must be protected at all times. “All parties to the conflict must act urgently to protect the lives of civilians and uphold the rights of children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
According to Unicef, most of the children died in an attack on a school in Iran on the first day of the war – according to reports, 168 children alone were killed. According to Unicef, children also died in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank during this period. 16 children were registered there as being killed.