Geneva/Gaza — The United Nations’ Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has concluded that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children, and that these practices amount to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Gaza, as well as war crimes in the occupied West Bank, according to Quds News Network.
“Targeted and Killed Deliberately”
Commission chair Sravinathan Muralidhar said the evidence gathered points to Israeli forces having “deliberately targeted and killed Palestinian children,” adding that children continue to be killed and wounded even after the ceasefire declared in October 2025, amid what the commission describes as Israel’s disregard for its obligations under international law.
Detention, Abuse, and Sexual Violence Documented
The commission also documented Palestinian children being subjected to arrest, torture, and mistreatment inside Israeli prisons and detention centers, alongside the use of sexual violence as part of what it characterized as systematic policies of repression and humiliation.
Maternity and Newborn Care Centers Targeted
The report further holds Israel responsible for targeting maternal and newborn care centers in Gaza, saying this directly harmed newborn survival and Palestinians’ reproductive future, and contributed to rising rates of miscarriage, birth defects, and chronic illness among infants. The commission also linked the siege and starvation policy to child deaths and to a broader health crisis among thousands of others, driven by malnutrition, disease, and the collapse of health services.
