Israel Targeting Gaza Children In Ongoing 'Genocide', 30% Of War Dead Are Kids: UN Inquiry
Israel Targeting Gaza Children In Ongoing 'Genocide', 30% Of War Dead Are Kids: UN Inquiry Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 21:08 IST Between
Israel Targeting Gaza Children In Ongoing 'Genocide', 30% Of War Dead Are Kids: UN Inquiry Published By, Last Updated: June 23, 2026, 21:08 IST Between October 7, 2023 and October 7, 2025, at least 20,179 children were killed in Gaza, around 30% of the overall death toll. A Palestinian girl, wounded in an Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip, cries in a hospital in Deir al-Balah, south of the Gaza Strip. (AP file photo) Israel is deliberately targeting Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, as well as war crimes in the occupied West Bank, an independent United Nations inquiry said on Tuesday. The report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, examined violations against Palestinian children since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023.
The report also found that around 30% of those killed in the Gaza war were children, with at least 20,179 minors among the dead between October 2023 and October 2025. Palestinian children ‘deliberately targeted’ The commission said Palestinian children were deliberately targeted and killed during the conflict, including after a ceasefire that came into effect in October last. It said this was a key element establishing genocidal intent by Israeli authorities and security forces to destroy the Palestinian group, in whole or in part, in Gaza. “The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces," said commission chair Srinivasan Muralidhar in a statement. The inquiry said child fatalities in this conflict were proportionally higher than in previous Gaza wars, where children accounted for about 24% of deaths in earlier escalations. It also said the use of high-impact weapons in densely populated areas contributed to widespread civilian harm.
It further reported that nearly all children in Gaza now require psychological support, with widespread displacement, starvation risks, and damage to healthcare systems worsening long-term impacts. The report comes after UNICEF said at least 265 children were killed and hundreds injured in Gaza following a ceasefire that took effect in October last year. A previous report by the commission in last September had already alleged that Israel committed genocide in Gaza and accused senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of incitement — claims strongly rejected by Israel. Israel’s mission in Geneva dismissed the latest findings as a “defamatory advocacy report" and called it a “libelous sham," insisting it rejected all allegations in the strongest terms. It further added that “every child deserves protection" and asserted that the report ignored “the brutal tactics of Hamas". (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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