UN Commission Accuses Israel of Genocide Against Children

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory released a report on June 23, 2026, concluding that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children. The commission found that these actions constitute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. Between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025, at least 20,179 children were killed, representing approximately 30% of the total death toll. The report cites the use of high-payload munitions in residential areas and the targeting of maternity care centers as evidence of genocidal intent.

The inquiry further documented the systematic torture and sexual abuse of children in detention and a sharp increase in settler violence in the West Bank. Findings indicate that children continued to be killed even after an October 2025 ceasefire. Commission Chair Srinivasan Muralidhar stated that these acts were part of a deliberate strategy to destroy the future of Palestinians.

The Government of Israel rejected the findings as a "libellous sham" and an "outrageous piece of propaganda." Israeli officials argued the report ignored Hamas's use of human shields and the fact that some killed children were Hamas fighters. Anne Bayefsky, President of Human Rights Voices, condemned the report as a modern blood libel that endangers Jewish people worldwide, criticizing the commission for its perceived bias and failure to adequately address Hamas's crimes.