UN Inquiry Finds Israeli Forces Deliberately Targeted Palestinian Children in Gaza
A United Nations independent inquiry has concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children during the conflict in Gaza, constituting war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The report, released on Tuesday by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, also documented war crimes in the occupied West Bank.
The commission examined violations against children from the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, 2023, through to a ceasefire in October 2025. It found that at least 20,179 children were killed in Gaza during that period, representing around 30% of the overall death toll. The proportion of child fatalities was higher than in previous conflicts in Gaza, where children made up approximately 24% of conflict-related deaths in 2008–2009 and 2014.
The report stated that Israeli forces used high-payload munitions and weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated residential areas despite mounting child casualties. According to the commission, this indicated that such attacks were intentional. It further alleged that Palestinian children were targeted collectively because Israeli security forces considered the civilian population as a whole to be associated with Hamas and other armed groups.
The commission also found that conditions imposed by Israel in Gaza, including widespread attacks, repeated displacement, and a blockade that hindered the entry of aid, food, and medicine, severely harmed children's health and development. Attacks on healthcare and reproductive facilities impacted newborn survival and led to increased miscarriages, the report said. Nearly all children in Gaza were reported to require psychological support.
Israel's mission in Geneva rejected the findings, calling the report a “second defamatory advocacy report” and a “libelous sham.” In a statement, it said that Israel “consistently strives to minimize harm to children even in situations of conflict” and rejected the suggestion that it deliberately targets children “in the strongest terms.” The rebuttal highlighted Israel's role in facilitating vaccinations, the entry of medical staff, and the establishment of field hospitals. It also accused Hamas of systematically diverting humanitarian aid and fuel for hospitals—an accusation Hamas has denied.
The commission's chair, Srinivasan Muralidhar, said: “The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces.” He added that by targeting children, Israel was undermining the capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and determine their future. The report builds on a previous UN inquiry in September that found Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and accused top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of inciting such acts.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the commission documented a sharp increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinian children. The report does not specify the number of child casualties in the West Bank but notes a concerning trend.
The findings have been met with strong reactions from both sides. Israel has consistently denied allegations of genocide and war crimes, asserting that its military operations comply with international law. The UN inquiry is independent but has faced criticism from Israel for what it views as a biased mandate. The United Nations has called for accountability and protection of children in conflict zones.
