UN Report Says Israeli Forces Lead Child Rights Violations in Conflict Zones

The United Nations Secretary‑General’s annual report on children and armed conflict recorded a historic 38,558 verified grave violations against children in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year of rising figures. The highest concentration of cases – 12,445 – occurred in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, where Israeli armed and security forces were linked to the majority of killings, injuries, abductions and attacks on schools and hospitals.

For the first time, the report identified government forces as the leading global perpetrators of child violations, highlighting severe abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, Somalia and other conflict zones. Child deaths rose 34 % to 6,266, including 2,668 Palestinian children killed in Gaza and five Israeli children killed in attacks involving Iranian forces. The UN called for urgent international action to protect children in conflict areas.