A senior UNICEF official has warned that children across the Middle East are paying a “devastating price” since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran erupted last month.
"Twenty-three days into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, children across the region are paying a devastating price," UNICEF’s deputy executive director for humanitarian action and supply operations, Ted Chaiban, said Monday.
Speaking to reporters in New York, Chaiban said: "A further descent into a wider or protracted conflict would be catastrophic for millions more."
He added that more than 2,100 children have been killed or injured, including 206 children killed in Iran and 118 in Lebanon.
He also warned against rapid displacement across several countries driven by relentless bombardment and evacuation orders.
In Iran, he said the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced, including up to 864,000 children.
"We are calling for three immediate actions: a cessation of hostilities and protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure," Chaiban said, reminding all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law.
A regional escalation has continued to flare since the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
