UN Commission Accuses Israel of Genocide Against Palestinian Children
A new United Nations report, released by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, claims that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children in Gaza, constituting genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
According to the commission, "hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children have suffered death and severe bodily and mental harm" as a result of Israeli military operations, with killings continuing even after the ceasefire agreed upon in October 2023.
It concludes that these acts represent a deliberate strategy designed to destroy the future of Palestinians in Gaza by consistently attacking their children. The commission’s findings are based on credible data from Hamas‑run health ministries and eyewitness accounts, many of which the UN views as reliable.
Israel’s foreign ministry has rejected the report, describing it as a "libellous sham" and “propaganda.” Israel maintains that its operations are defensive, aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the release of hostages taken in the October 2023 attack on southern Israel.
The report also accuses Israel of employing precision weapons—quadcopter drones and snipers—to target children’s vital organs and of striking residential buildings, schools and displacement camps crowded with minors. In the West Bank, the commission alleges that Israeli soldiers and settlers have failed to protect Palestinian children, citing arrests, torture, and sexual violence.
The commission further warns of a systematic use of starvation as a method of war, highlighting the severe malnutrition among Gaza children due to restricted humanitarian aid. It also documents attacks on neonatal and paediatric hospitals that have severely impeded access to life‑sustaining care.
Israeli officials insist their forces have acted in compliance with international law and have taken all feasible measures to mitigate harm to civilians, while the UN commission demands accountability for the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The International Court of Justice is currently hearing a genocide case filed by South Africa against Israeli forces, though a decisive conclusion may take years. Israel continues to call the case unfounded and biased.
For further reading, see the full commission report at official UN website.
