A UN panel's searing indictment of Israel's actions in Gaza, alleging genocide through deliberate targeting of Palestinian children, has sparked outrage and denials from the Israeli government. The three-member commission of inquiry's report accuses Israeli authorities of "deliberately carried out acts inflicting death and severe bodily and mental harm on hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children", including through precision weapons such as quadcopter drones and snipers.
The commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, asserts that these actions are part of a calculated strategy "to destroy the future of the Palestinians in Gaza by targeting their children". Chair Srinivasan Muralidhar, an Indian jurist, stated that "the protection, care and survival of Palestinian children are inseparable from the Palestinian people's right to self-determination", adding that Israel's actions undermine the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and determine their future.
Israel's response has been swift and scathing, with the foreign ministry labelling the report "utterly rejected" and describing it as a "libellous sham" and "propaganda piece". The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 people being taken hostage. Since then, over 73,035 people have reportedly been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, including more than 21,280 children, according to figures from the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN considers reliable.
The report highlights Israel's alleged targeting of Palestinian children through direct attacks and by employing high-impact weapons in strikes on residential buildings, schools, and displacement camps. It also suggests that Israel is legally responsible for failing to protect Palestinian children from being targeted by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank.
This is not the first time the commission has accused Israel of genocide; last September, it made similar allegations against Israel's actions in Gaza. The panel has previously concluded that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed war crimes and other grave violations of international law during the 7 October 2023 attacks. It has also stated that Israeli security forces have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.