UN Investigation Accuses Israel of Mass Atrocities and War Crimes Targeting Children in Gaza

The United Nations investigative commission has reported that Israel has deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in mass atrocities, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The commission also noted that war crimes occurred in the Israel-controlled West Bank.

The new UN report accuses Israeli agencies and security forces of knowingly engaging in actions that caused “the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children and severe physical and psychological harm.” The report states that killings have continued even after the ceasefire declared last October. The commission concluded that these actions were carried out as part of a “deliberate strategy to destroy the future of Palestinians in Gaza by specifically targeting children.”

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has “categorically rejected” the commission’s report, labeling it as “disgraceful lies” and “propaganda similar to previous accusations.” The military operation in Gaza was launched by the Israeli Defense Forces in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, run by Hamas, the Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 73,035 deaths, including more than 21,280 children. The commission described Israel’s military campaign as “intensive and systematic,” causing “unprecedented death and injury among Palestinian children.”a