The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has released a damning report confirming that Israel's military has systematically targeted Palestinian children in Gaza, killing at least 20,179 and injuring at least 44,143 between October 2023 and October 2025. According to the commission, the killing of children is not coincidental but part of a deliberate strategy to destroy the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian people.
Children Account for 30% of Palestinian Deaths
Children make up approximately 30 per cent of all Palestinian deaths in Gaza, a proportion higher than in any previous conflict in the territory. The report highlights that the killing continued even after the October 2025 ceasefire, with UNICEF reporting at least 265 children killed since the truce took effect. Children have been shot, bombed, struck by quadcopters, and killed in tents, schools, while playing football, or fishing.
Systematic Targeting as a Strategy
The commission states that the killing and maiming of Palestinian children "was part of a strategy to destroy the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian group in Gaza." By targeting children, Israel is attacking "the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future." The siege has also directly undermined reproductive and newborn health, with attacks on maternity centres causing rises in miscarriages and birth defects.
Long-term Impact on Survivors
Severe physical and mental injuries, mass trauma, orphanhood, disability, repeated displacement, starvation, and the collapse of education and healthcare will affect these children for the rest of their lives. The report underscores that the scale and nature of the attacks amount to genocide.
Israel Dismisses Report as 'Libellous Sham'
Israel has dismissed the UN report as a "libellous sham" and accused the commission of ignoring Hamas's tactics. However, UN investigators, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and genocide scholars worldwide have concluded that Israel's conduct meets the definitions of genocide. As the report notes, soldiers from any national army are expected to conduct themselves better than terrorists, yet Israel's actions have been condemned globally.
