SRINAGAR: A United Nations Commission of Inquiry chaired by Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar has accused Israeli authorities and security forces of deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza and the occupied territories, saying the conduct amounts to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The report was released in Geneva on June 23, according to the UN.
The 100-page report covers the period from October 7, 2023, to March 31, 2026, and says the commission found indisputable evidence of deliberate killings, widespread and systematic harm to children, and attacks that continued even after the October 2025 ceasefire. The UN says the commission found more than 20,000 children were killed and more than 44,000 injured during the period it examined. Reuters reported that at least 20,179 Palestinian children were killed, accounting for around 30 per cent of total fatalities.
According to the commission, the attacks involved high-yield explosives in densely populated areas, as well as drones, quadcopters and sniper fire. The report also said schools, universities, healthcare facilities and other child-related infrastructure were hit, while starvation, displacement and the blockade on humanitarian aid deepened the crisis for children, the UN said.
The commission further urged UN member states to take all reasonably available measures to prevent genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and to stop the transfer of arms and other material that could be used in violations of international law.
Israel rejected the findings. Reuters reported that Israeli authorities described the report as defamatory and denied the allegations, while AP said Israel called it a biased and unverified report.
