In Gaza and beyond, in the West Bank and southern Lebanon, Israeli authorities and security forces have targeted Palestinian children. This is Israel’s new genocidal doctrine, the subject of a new UN report.
The latest report (“The essence of childhood has been destroyed”: Israel’s deliberate targeting of Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 7 October 2023″), by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry is one of the most important documents to emerge from the Gaza war. Its conclusion is clear: Israeli authorities and security forces have targeted Palestinian children, acts that the Commission says amount to genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Commission’s report, dated 19.6.2026, concludes that the targeted killing of Palestinian children is not random collateral damage, but part of a recurring pattern of behavior. Under the Genocide Convention, the Commission argues that such actions constitute a significant indicator of genocidal intent, as they threaten the future of the Palestinian people.
According to the research, more than 20,000 Palestinian children were killed between October 2023 and October 2025, representing approximately 30 percent of all deaths, while over 44,000 were injured. Even after the ceasefire in October 2025, children are reportedly still being killed and maimed.
The Commission cites cases in which sniper fire, drone fire, precision-guided munitions and high-explosive bombs have been used in densely populated civilian areas. It argues that the nature of these weapons systems often allowed users to identify their targets, including children.
Regardless of political positions, the report’s importance lies in the wealth of evidence, legal analysis, forensic reports and witness testimony. It represents one of the most comprehensive international studies to date on the impact of war on children.
This damning investigation casts a long, dark shadow over the entire Israeli wartime government and its international partners, arms suppliers and financiers.
