Nearly 300,000 Children Have Fled Lebanon for Syria Amid Israeli Violence

ALWAGHT- Save the Children reports that around 300,000 children have fled Lebanon for Syria over the past seven weeks, seeking safety amid Israel's ongoing aggression against Lebanon.

Rasha Muhrez, Director of Save the Children’s Syria Response, reported that children and families fleeing from Lebanon to Syria are arriving amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions and a severe cost-of-living crisis. He highlighted that nearly half a million Syrian children require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition, underscoring the ongoing struggles of a country already ravaged by years of conflict.

Muhrez called for an urgent increase in funding to address the needs of these newly displaced children and support the communities hosting them. Save the Children noted that many children escaping Lebanon’s escalating violence are traveling alone, exposing them to risks like abuse, food shortages, and illness as winter approaches. The organization estimates that approximately 70 percent of those displaced from Lebanon to Syria are Syrians who had initially sought refuge in Lebanon.

The Israeli military launched a significant air and ground offensive against Lebanon in late September, following a year of skirmishes related to the Gaza conflict. These strikes have resulted in over 3,287 deaths and 14,222 injuries, primarily among women and children, displacing approximately 1.2 million people, including many Syrian refugees already sheltering in Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of retaliatory attacks against Israeli forces, pledging to continue until hostilities cease.