Recent Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have left many children with both physical and emotional wounds. One such case is 4-year-old Hussein Mikdad, who lost his mother, three siblings, and six relatives in an airstrike on their Beirut neighborhood. Hussein, now healing from surgery, has rods in his fractured thigh and stitches in his torn tendons. While his physical wounds are expected to heal in two months, the emotional trauma remains a challenge.
Israeli airstrikes have increasingly targeted residential areas in Lebanon, resulting in over 100 children killed and hundreds more injured in the past six weeks. The toll on children is evident in hospitals, where doctors are treating severe injuries, such as burns and severed limbs.
One such child is Ivana Skakye, a 2-year-old girl who sustained third-degree burns over 40% of her body in an airstrike. Her family home was damaged, and her parents fear returning to collective shelters due to infection risks. Despite the physical healing progress, Ivana, like many other children, faces a long road to recovery.
The impact of the airstrikes extends beyond physical injuries, affecting children's mental well-being. Psychosocial support programs report increased anxiety, aggression, and speech impediments among children in shelters. The loss of homes and schools has disrupted the lives of over 1 million displaced people in Lebanon, including hundreds of thousands of children.
As families like Hussein Mikdad's navigate the aftermath of the airstrikes, the emotional toll on children remains a significant concern. The generational trauma caused by the war in Lebanon will require long-term support and resources to help children overcome their experiences and rebuild their lives.
