Gaza Herald _A landmark United Nations investigation has concluded that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children throughout the war in Gaza, describing the killings as part of a broader pattern that the commission says supports findings of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
The 88-page report, released by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, examines violations committed against Palestinian children from October 7, 2023, through early 2026. The investigation documents direct attacks, sniper shootings, drone strikes, torture in detention, sexual violence, destruction of hospitals and schools, starvation, and systematic attacks on the conditions necessary for children’s survival.
According to Commission Chair Srinivasan Muralidhar, the evidence demonstrates that Palestinian children were intentionally targeted by Israeli security forces, with violations continuing even after the October 2025 ceasefire despite international legal protections afforded to children.
More Than 20,000 Palestinian Children Killed
The commission reports that at least 20,179 Palestinian children were killed in Gaza between October 2023 and October 2025, while more than 44,000 others were injured.
Children accounted for nearly one-third of all Palestinians killed during the period reviewed. Among those killed were more than 5,000 children under the age of five, including over 1,000 infants younger than one year old and hundreds of newborn babies.
Investigators also estimate that more than 5,000 additional children remain buried beneath collapsed buildings, warning that the actual death toll is likely significantly higher because many victims have yet to be recovered or officially recorded.
Evidence Points to Deliberate Shootings
One of the report’s central findings concerns what investigators describe as a consistent pattern of precision attacks against children.
Doctors working across multiple hospitals told the commission they repeatedly treated children suffering single gunshot wounds to the head or upper body, injuries they attributed to Israeli snipers or armed quadcopter drones.
After conducting forensic reviews of documented cases, investigators concluded that most injuries were consistent with intentional single-shot precision fire rather than indiscriminate battlefield violence.
The report includes numerous case studies, including:
* The killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab and several family members after their vehicle came under Israeli fire, followed by the killing of two Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics attempting to rescue her.
* The shooting of a 15-year-old boy carrying a white flag after complying with evacuation orders in Khan Younis, followed by the fatal shooting of his brother when he attempted to assist him.
* Drone attacks that severely wounded infants and young children inside displacement tents, despite investigators concluding operators had unobstructed visibility before firing.
The commission identified specific Israeli military units believed to have operated in several of these incidents and urged international prosecutors to prioritize crimes committed against children.
Children Also Shot While Seeking Humanitarian Aid
The report documents numerous incidents beginning in 2025 in which Palestinian children were shot near aid distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Medical personnel described treating children suffering gunshot wounds after attempting to access desperately needed humanitarian assistance.
Investigators also cited testimony from a former aid truck driver who said he witnessed Israeli soldiers fatally shooting teenagers near food distribution points.
Ceasefire Failed to End Child Killings
According to the commission, violence against Palestinian children continued after the October 2025 ceasefire.
Investigators documented more than 100 children killed during the weeks that followed as Israeli forces enforced the so-called “Yellow Line,” a military buffer zone established inside Gaza.
Among the cases highlighted was the drone strike that killed two young brothers who had gone to gather firewood for their father, who uses a wheelchair. The commission concluded the boys clearly posed no military threat.
West Bank Children Also Targeted
Beyond Gaza, investigators documented the killing of 213 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The commission concluded that Israeli forces frequently treated Palestinian boys as presumed security threats, documenting cases involving children shot inside their homes, during military raids, or while posing no immediate danger.
Some incidents also involved delays in providing medical treatment, while others included allegations that soldiers attempted to justify shootings after the fact.
Abuse and Torture of Child Detainees
The report presents extensive testimony regarding the treatment of Palestinian children held in Israeli detention.
Investigators found evidence of physical abuse, prolonged handcuffing, blindfolding, beatings, denial of food and water, exposure to attack dogs, electric shocks, stress positions, and inadequate medical care.
The commission also received testimony describing sexual violence against child detainees and concluded that abusive treatment formed part of a broader detention system rather than isolated misconduct.
In one documented case, a 17-year-old Palestinian detainee died after months of severe malnutrition and untreated medical conditions. The commission concluded that Israeli authorities bore responsibility for his death.
Healthcare System Devastated
The investigation found that Israeli attacks effectively dismantled Gaza’s pediatric healthcare system.
All three specialized children’s hospitals ceased functioning during the early months of the war, while repeated attacks and the blockade sharply reduced neonatal intensive care capacity.
At Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital, investigators found that several newborn babies died after power was cut and evacuation efforts were obstructed. Weeks later, their bodies were discovered still attached to inactive life-support equipment.
The report also links the blockade to rising infant mortality, increased miscarriages, worsening maternal health outcomes, and widespread malnutrition among newborns.
Education System Nearly Destroyed
Investigators found that nearly every school in Gaza sustained damage during the conflict.
More than 450 schools were directly struck, while over 97 percent of educational facilities were damaged or destroyed.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children have now missed three consecutive academic years.
The report also documents videos posted by Israeli soldiers showing schools being deliberately demolished and includes statements mocking Palestinian students and their future educational prospects.
Schools were additionally converted into military positions, storage facilities, and barracks, according to investigators.
Starvation Used as a Weapon
The commission concludes that Israel’s blockade severely restricted access to food, medicine, and humanitarian assistance, contributing directly to widespread child malnutrition.
UN agencies recorded numerous child deaths linked to starvation, while vaccination campaigns were repeatedly interrupted, contributing to the return of diseases such as polio after decades of eradication.
The report identifies starvation as part of a broader strategy that systematically deprived civilians, particularly children, of the essentials required for survival.
Dehumanization Extended Beyond the Battlefield
Investigators documented dozens of videos showing Israeli soldiers destroying children’s personal belongings, including toys, school trophies, stuffed animals, and family possessions inside Palestinian homes.
The commission concluded that these acts reflected a broader culture of dehumanization rather than isolated incidents.
Legal Conclusions
The commission concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe Israeli authorities continued committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes throughout the reporting period.
According to the report, the deliberate targeting of Palestinian children represents a key element supporting findings of genocidal intent because children embody the biological and social continuity of the Palestinian people.
Investigators further conclude that Israeli forces intentionally killed children, inflicted severe physical and psychological harm, destroyed civilian infrastructure essential for their survival, attacked hospitals and schools, employed starvation as a method of warfare, and subjected detained children to torture and sexual violence.
The commission has called on the International Criminal Court to prioritize investigations into crimes committed against Palestinian children and urged accountability for both direct perpetrators and military commanders responsible for overseeing operations.
The report notes that Israeli authorities did not respond to any of the commission’s requests for information or access during the investigation.
