UNICEF warns children across Middle East paying 'devastating price' as war enters fifth week

Children across the Middle East are facing a "devastating price" since the US-Israeli war with Iran started last month, a senior official at UNICEF warned Monday. "Twenty-three days into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, children across the region are paying a devastating price. A further descent into a wider or protracted conflict would be catastrophic for millions more," Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's deputy executive director for humanitarian action and supply operations, told reporters in New York.

Casualty figures

Chaiban said more than 2,100 children have been killed or injured, including 206 children killed in Iran and 118 in Lebanon. The figures highlight the disproportionate impact of the conflict on the region's youngest and most vulnerable population, as airstrikes and ground operations continue across multiple fronts.

Mass displacement

He also warned against rapid displacement across several countries driven by relentless bombardment and evacuation orders. In Iran, he said the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced, including up to 864,000 children. The displacement crisis adds to existing humanitarian challenges in a region already hosting millions of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Call for action

"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. The call echoes similar appeals from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other humanitarian leaders.

Conflict context

Regional escalation has continued to flare since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,340 people according to Iranian authorities, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.