Historic UN Finding: Israel Guilty of Genocide Against Palestinian Children | Watch

The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately targeted and killed Palestinian children, and are responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes in both Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The Commission's latest report — a 100-page document examining violations committed against Palestinian children between October 7, 2023 and March 31, 2026 — was presented on Tuesday by its Chair, Dr. S. Muralidhar, former Chief Justice of a High Court and currently a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India.

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Describing it as the first specialised UN investigative report focused exclusively on crimes against Palestinian children, Muralidhar said the Commission found "indisputable evidence" of deliberate, targeted killings.

The Scale of the Violence

According to the report, more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and over 44,000 injured since October 7, 2023. Children account for nearly 30 per cent of all deaths in the occupied Palestinian territory during the period under review.

The Commission found that children were killed primarily through airstrikes involving high-yield explosives, and through targeted attacks using quadcopter drones, sniper rifles and other weapons aimed at children's heads and upper bodies. "There has been a widespread and systematic killing and harming of children," Muralidhar said.

The report also records that more than 1,000 children underwent amputations of one or more limbs between October and December 2023 alone, and that 151 child deaths due to malnutrition were recorded as of October 1, 2025.

An Orphan Crisis and the Destruction of Education

The Commission documented what it described as a severe orphan crisis — an estimated 58,054 children lost one or both parents between October 2023 and October 2025.

On education, the report found that Israel had systematically disrupted access to schooling, resulting in what it termed the destruction of the intellectual and social foundations of Palestinian society. According to the Commission, 97 per cent of schools in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged, 95 per cent of universities affected, and 22 of Gaza's 38 universities completely destroyed.

Crimes Against Humanity and the Genocide Finding

Based on the evidence collected, the Commission concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces are responsible for crimes against humanity — including persecution — as well as war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.

"The report released today further substantiates our finding on genocide," Muralidhar stated.

The Commission found that attacks on children were aimed at weakening the demographic vitality of Palestinians and undermining their right to self-determination. It observed that by targeting children, Israel was eroding the foundational structure of Palestinian society and its capacity to sustain that right into the future.

West Bank: Settler Violence as State Policy

The report also examined developments in the West Bank, concluding that settler violence functions as a mechanism for implementing Israeli state policies — with state authorities and violent settler groups acting in pursuit of a common objective of unlawful territorial expansion.

Hamas Abuses Also Condemned

The Commission reiterated findings from its June 15, 2026 report that Hamas had committed grave abuses against Palestinians in Gaza, including repression, torture and unlawful killings, exploiting the breakdown of law and order during the conflict.

Post-Ceasefire Situation and Flotilla Detainees

Muralidhar rejected suggestions that conditions in Gaza had significantly improved following the October 2025 ceasefire, stating that Palestinians continued to be killed and harmed after the ceasefire and that humanitarian assistance remained far below required levels.

The Commission also condemned the treatment of Flotilla activists detained by Israeli forces, saying it reinforced earlier findings on the mistreatment, torture and sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees.

What Comes Next

Muralidhar said the Commission welcomed the initiation of judicial investigations in several countries concerning events in Gaza, and expressed hope that member states, the UN Security Council and other international bodies would act on the report's recommendations. The Commission said it would continue work on accountability measures aimed at ending impunity and ensuring both state responsibility and individual criminal and command responsibility for violations of international law.

The Commission of Inquiry is chaired by Dr. S. Muralidhar (India), with Florence Mumba (Zambia) and Chris Sidoti (Australia) as members. Muralidhar was appointed to head the Commission in November 2025.