Helen Pattinson, the CEO of War Child UK said: “We are just devastated by this news coming from Lebanon. The death of five children that War Child has just so recently been supporting and who were well known to our staff is incomprehensible. We are assessing the damage to our two centres in Baalbek, Lebanon, but it appears that they are completely destroyed. Our worst fears of the destruction of Gaza spiralling out of control are beginning to be realised. We stand on the brink. Leaders must act before thousands upon thousands of more children’s lives are shattered.”
The five children killed were recent past participants of War Child's non-formal education programme and were well known to War Child's staff. War Child is working to identify the most appropriate way to provide support to surviving family members and the community.
War Child is witnessing children facing the anxiety of sudden displacement and terrifying psychological distress from the constant barrage of explosive weapons.
In less than a week, more than 700 people have been killed in Lebanon, thousands more have been injured and hundreds of thousands of people are displaced.
War Child is already responding to the unfolding crisis in Lebanon, it’s staff are coordinating with other agencies to provide hot meals, psychological first aid, child protection services and provide water, sanitation and hygiene services for people fleeing southern Lebanon, with a priority focus on vulnerable groups including women-headed households, families with young children, and those with disabilities.
Flutra Gorana, War Child's Regional Director for the Middle East, based in Lebanon said: “We are beyond words. Our hearts are broken as we grieve for these children – former refugees from Syria who came to Lebanon in search of safety and instead were indiscriminately killed. Meanwhile, as world leaders gather in New York, the conflicts across the Middle East are spiralling out of control. Parties to the conflict and their international allies have obligations under international humanitarian law which are absolutely clear, yet are being ignored.”
War Child calls on all parties to the conflict to work towards an immediate ceasefire, meet their obligations to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians.
Parties to armed conflict must at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants, and between civilian objects – such as residential buildings and schools – and military objectives. This is not happening. States with influence in this conflict have legal responsibilities, including to prevent grave rights violations against children and all civilians.
