From the Vatican:
by Federico Piana
The tragic conflict raging in the Middle East has an emblematic, blood-soaked face: that of children losing their lives and being injured in bombings. The number of those cynically and arrogantly labeled “collateral damage” is horrifically increasing: since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, igniting a seemingly uncontrollable regional war, 1,100 children have been killed or injured by missiles and drones.
The heartbreaking tally released today by UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, reveals that 200 children have died in Iran alone, 91 in Lebanon, 4 in Israel, and even 1 in Kuwait. These figures are set to rise inexorably.
“Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and water and sanitation systems, on which children’s survival depends, has been attacked, damaged, or
destroyed by parties to the conflict,” UNICEF explains. It warns the international community that “grave violations against children in armed conflict may constitute violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Children in the region—all 200 million of them—are counting on the world to act swiftly for peace.”
To realize that the humanitarian situation is literally out of control, one need only look at Lebanon. The Israeli invasion and bombings are bringing the country of cedars to collapse, not only spreading death. At least half a million people, the humanitarian organization Oxfam reported in recent days, have been forced to abandon their homes, and only 117,000 of them have been able to find shelter in shelters.