By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA, May 29 (Reuters) - An average of 11 children have been killed every 24 hours on average in Lebanon, as Israel expanded strikes 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 a new swathe of the area "a combat zone".

On Thursday, an Israeli strike hit a building in the southern suburbs of Beirut amid a ceasefire that has failed to halt fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah in south Lebanon.

(Reporting by Olivia Le PoidevinEditing by Madeline Chambers)