Key facts
- A UN inquiry found Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children, committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.
- The report documents the killing of at least 20,179 children and wounding of 44,143 others in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025.
- Children constituted 30% of those killed and 26% of those injured in Gaza during the specified period.
- The commission found evidence of children being shot with precision weapons, including by snipers and quadcopters.
- The report details the destruction of educational and early childhood services, with 459 of 564 school buildings in Gaza hit.
- Detained Palestinian children were subjected to torture, sexual violence, and denial of care.
- The commission urged member states to cease arms transfers to Israel and impose targeted sanctions.
A United Nations inquiry has concluded that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children, constituting genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Gaza, along with additional war crimes in the occupied West Bank. The 88-page report, released on Tuesday, details the killing of at least 20,179 children and the wounding of 44,143 others in Gaza between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025. During this period, children represented 30 percent of those killed and 26 percent of those injured.
Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated that evidence shows Israeli security forces deliberately targeted and killed Palestinian children. He noted that killings continue even after the October 2025 ceasefire, with Israel showing continued disregard for the ceasefire and international law protecting children.
The report cites the Genocide Convention, concluding that the deliberate targeting of children demonstrates Israel's genocidal intent to destroy the Palestinian group in Gaza. This finding builds upon the commission's previous assertion in September that Israel was responsible for genocide in Gaza.
The inquiry specifically examined physical injury, detention, reproductive violence, and psychological trauma among children. It documented a consistent pattern of children being shot with precision weapons, including by snipers and quadcopters, often resulting in single gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. Medical professionals reported observing Israeli soldiers appearing to engage in "target practice" on teenage boys.
Specific Israeli military units, including the Kfir Brigade, the 162nd Division, the 98th and 99th Divisions, and the Refaim or Ghost Unit, were identified as responsible for killings. The report highlights that killings have persisted post-ceasefire, citing the example of two brothers aged nine and 10 shot dead by an Israeli drone near Bani Suheila on November 29, with the commission finding claims of them being "suspects" baseless.
Beyond direct targeting, the report details the widespread destruction of Palestinian childhood infrastructure. As of October 2025, 459 of Gaza's 564 school buildings were hit, leading to children missing three full school years and over 668,000 school-age children being denied formal education. By January 2026, more than 335,000 children under five faced severe developmental delays due to the collapse of early childhood services. Attacks on neonatal infrastructure also led to preventable newborn deaths, with the number of incubators in Gaza falling significantly.
Furthermore, the commission documented that Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces endured torture, sexual violence, forced public nudity, stress positions, and denial of essential care. The death of a 17-year-old boy from Ramallah in Megiddo Prison in March 2025 due to prolonged malnutrition was deemed wilful killing and a war crime.
Muralidhar emphasized that the destruction of health, education, and development for Palestinian children is irreversible, even if hostilities cease. The commission urged Israel to halt military operations, release detained children, return withheld bodies, and end the siege. It also called on member states to stop arms transfers to Israel, impose targeted sanctions, and encouraged the International Criminal Court to prioritize crimes against children in its ongoing investigation. Israel did not respond to the commission's requests for information or access.
