Israel Committing Genocide by Deliberately Targeting Palestinian Children in Gaza: UN Commission Report

Israel continues to commit genocide and other atrocity crimes against Palestinians in Gaza by deliberately targeting children, according to a new report released by the United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

The report, released on Tuesday through the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), alleges that Israeli authorities and security forces have intentionally killed Palestinian children and systematically attacked institutions essential to their survival, including hospitals, maternity facilities and schools. The Commission said these actions amount to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes under international law.

"The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces," the Commission's Chair, Srinivasan Muralidhar, said while releasing the findings.

The inquiry concluded that at least 20,179 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and October 7, 2025, accounting for nearly 30% of all Palestinians killed during that period.

It further alleged that child killings continued even after the ceasefire that came into effect in October 2025, describing the pattern as evidence of genocidal intent directed at the Palestinian population in Gaza.

According to the Commission, attacks on neonatal and maternity care facilities have had devastating long-term consequences for Palestinian families by affecting newborn survival, increasing miscarriages and birth defects, and damaging the community's reproductive future. The report also accuses Israeli forces of using sexual violence against Palestinian children as part of a broader pattern of oppression.

Beyond Gaza, the Commission examined the situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where it found that Palestinian children have been subjected to unlawful killings, arbitrary detention and abuse. The report states that Israeli security forces increasingly treated Palestinian children as security threats, leading to what it described as unlawful use of lethal force.

The Commission identified specific incidents in which children were allegedly shot by snipers or killed in drone strikes despite posing no imminent threat. It said these incidents formed part of a consistent pattern rather than isolated events.

Israel rejected the findings, with its diplomatic mission in Geneva describing the report as "a libellous sham" and accusing the Commission of relying on "second-hand, single, uncorroborated sources", according to Reuters.

Israeli authorities have consistently denied allegations of genocide and maintain that the Israel Defense Forces operate in accordance with international law while targeting Hamas militants embedded within civilian areas following Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack. Israel also accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields.

The Commission's findings are not legally binding, and Israel has repeatedly refused to cooperate with its investigations.

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry was established by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021 with a standing mandate to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Unlike ad hoc fact-finding missions, the Commission has a continuing mandate to monitor developments and report to the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

This is the Commission's latest report on the conflict and follows its September 2025 legal analysis, in which it concluded that Israel had committed four of the five genocidal acts prohibited under the 1948 Genocide Convention and that statements by senior Israeli officials indicated genocidal intent. The latest report builds on those findings by focusing specifically on the impact of Israeli military operations on Palestinian children and reproductive health.

The report comes as Israel continues to face international legal scrutiny over its conduct in Gaza. Separate proceedings before the International Court of Justice concerning allegations of genocide remain pending, while the International Criminal Court has ongoing investigations into alleged war crimes connected to the conflict. The Commission urged the international community to ensure accountability and take measures to prevent further atrocities against Palestinian civilians, particularly children.