STATEMENT: 'Children in Lebanon have faced a 45-day nightmare' – a pause in hostilities must be 'definitive and permanent'

BEIRUT (April 17, 2026) — The news of a temporary pause in hostilities brings a fragile sense of relief for children and families, but this is not a ceasefire until it is definitive and permanent, said Nora Ingdal, Save the Children's Lebanon Country Director.

"Children in Lebanon have faced a 45-day nightmare and nowhere across the country has been safe. Since 2023, the lives of children have been impacted by on and off escalations.  

"Almost 20 children a day have been killed and injured by Israeli forces airstrikes since March 2, nearly 800 children injured or killed and one in five children – over 350,000 - have been forced to leave their homes, some fleeing in the middle of the night. Children and families have been sleeping in tents or overcrowded collective shelters, and any sense of normality and childhood ripped away.

"Our teams on the ground are already seeing families begin the long journey back to their homes, unsure whether they will find anything left when they arrive. However, many families are telling us how they feel afraid to return, and for some, they have no home to return to, forcing them to remain displaced in collective shelters.

"Save the Children continues to provide psychosocial support for children, reunite missing children with their families, ensure access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and distribute essential items for those displaced.

"This moment must mark the beginning of lasting stability and relief, not merely a pause before further suffering. Children need stability to heal from the trauma of war, to return to school, to play, and to rebuild their lives without the constant fear that violence will resume."

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News editors' note: Save the Children Lebanon Country Director Nora Ingdal, based in Beirut, is available for interviews.