Children's lives in Middle East devastated by ongoing conflicts: UNICEF

NEW YORK (WAM)

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) affirmed on Sunday that the lives of children in the Middle East are being destroyed due to ongoing conflicts.

UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, said, “All the parties are obligated to protect civilians, including children, humanitarian workers, and civilian infrastructure, including schools and health facilities."

In her statement, she added, "Children do not start wars, nor can they end them, but their lives are shattered by conflicts."

"Tens of thousands of children have died. Thousands more are in captivity, displaced, orphaned, out of school, and suffer trauma from violence and war," she continued.

The UNICEF Executive Director called for an end to violence against children.