UN Report Accuses Israel of Deliberately Targeting Children in Gaza
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has released a report accusing Israel of deliberately targeting children during its military operations in Gaza. The commission, chaired by former Orissa High Court Chief Justice S. Muralidhar, documented at least 20,179 Palestinian children killed and 44,143 injured between October 7, 2023, and October 2025. The report states that these actions have created the highest concentration of child amputees globally and left over 58,000 children orphaned.
According to the report, Israel employed two primary methods: intensive airstrikes in densely populated areas using high-yield bombs, and the use of quadcopters, drones, and snipers to target children. The report cites evidence such as thermal imaging footage from quadcopters that could clearly distinguish children, and testimonies from doctors who described precisely aimed cube-shaped pellets on the upper bodies of children. The commission concluded that these actions were 'part of a strategy to destroy the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian group in Gaza.'
Justice Muralidhar, in an interview with The Indian Express, discussed how the commission verified evidence despite Israel's lack of cooperation. The commission sent 13 requests for information and access, all unanswered. Instead, investigators relied on forensic tools, geolocation, social media posts by Israeli soldiers, and public submissions. The commission also sent its draft report to Israel weeks in advance; Israel responded with an 18-page rebuttal that did not deny the evidence, according to Justice Muralidhar.
The report calls for an immediate end to attacks on civilians, unrestricted humanitarian access, reparations for victims, and accountability for those responsible for serious violations. Justice Muralidhar emphasized that India cannot ignore the situation, stating, 'India should know, if we don’t act on the evidence against Israel, we can’t redeem ourselves.'
