An independent United Nations (UN) Commission of Inquiry has accused Israel of deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, saying the actions form part of what it described as an ongoing genocide against Palestinians.
The findings were contained in a report released on Tuesday, which stated that Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have continued to inflict heavy casualties and lasting trauma on children. The commission had previously concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.
According to the report, the continued targeting of children is one of the clearest indications of what it described as Israel’s intent to destroy the Palestinian people. The commission said such actions persisted even after a ceasefire came into force in Gaza.
“Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law,” said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chairman of the commission.
Israel has consistently rejected allegations of genocide and quickly dismissed the latest findings by the UN body.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry described the report as “a propaganda piece as outrageous as its previous ones,” while Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, denounced it as a “political blood libel disguised as a UN document.”
“Instead of addressing Hamas’ crimes, the October 7 massacre, the hostages, and Hamas’ cynical use of children and civilians as human shields, the commission has once again chosen to place Israel in the dock,” Danon said.
The report accused Israel of imposing conditions in Gaza since the ceasefire that have worsened the humanitarian situation, including continued military attacks and restrictions on humanitarian and medical assistance. It said these measures have caused severe harm to children’s survival, health and development.
The commission also documented what it described as a pattern of attacks on hospitals, healthcare centres and reproductive facilities, warning that the destruction has had serious physical and psychological consequences for children.
The ceasefire agreement backed by the United States and brokered in October brought an end to two years of war in Gaza. However, the report noted that fighting did not completely stop despite a reduction in hostilities.
Since then, near-daily Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, including over 250 children, according to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israel, however, has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire and refusing to surrender its weapons. Large numbers of Palestinians remain displaced and living in tents, while reconstruction efforts have stalled amid restrictions on the entry of building materials and heavy equipment.
Under a peace proposal promoted by US President Donald Trump, an international security force was expected to deploy to Gaza while Israeli troops gradually withdrew from the territory.
Instead, the report said Israel has expanded the areas under its control. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously stated that Israeli forces now control about 70 per cent of Gaza.
Following the ceasefire, Israel established a temporary military boundary known as the “yellow line.” The report said the boundary has since shifted westward, increasing Israeli military presence and reducing the space available to Palestinian residents.
Palestinian officials say hundreds of people have been killed after approaching the restricted area. A new boundary, referred to as the “orange line,” has also been introduced to mark additional territory seized by Israeli forces.
The report said the movement of these boundaries has created uncertainty for Palestinians, particularly children, who often struggle to determine safe areas.
Beyond Gaza, the commission examined developments in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, where it accused Israel of committing war crimes and pointed to rising violence against Palestinian children by Israeli settlers.
It said the Israeli military has “repeatedly employed unreasonable, excessive and punitive force against children as a tool of control, deterrence and collective intimidation” in the West Bank.
Data from Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem showed that 236 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank since October 2023.
The report further alleged that children in both Gaza and the West Bank have been subjected to widespread arbitrary arrests and detentions. It added that many detained children in Gaza remain missing, with their whereabouts unknown.
Reacting to the report, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the findings, saying they underscored “reaffirming the international community’s failure to stop the violations committed by the occupying power and to hold accountable those responsible for these crimes against Palestinian children.”
The commission urged Israel to immediately stop military operations in Gaza and fulfil its obligations to protect children under international law.
It also called on UN member states to arrest Israeli officials sought by the International Criminal Court, suspend arms transfers to Israel and impose sanctions on Israeli officials and settlers.
(CNN)
