On average, 11 children killed or wounded every day in past week in Lebanon

An average of 11 children have been killed or wounded every 24 hours in Lebanon, as Israel expanded attacks across the country in spite of a ceasefire being in place.

Heavy Israeli ⁠strikes hit towns and villages in southern Lebanon overnight on Wednesday and into Thursday, after Israel declared new swathes of Lebanon "a combat zone".

On Thursday, an Israeli strike hit a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

A total of 77 children have been killed or injured in the last seven days by Israeli attacks, Unicef said. Since the ceasefire began in April, 55 children have been killed, and 212 wounded, according to the agency.

UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires described the toll as “staggering”.