United Nations report documents violations against children in Gaza

A United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has released a 100-page report titled ‘The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed,’ detailing crimes and violations against Palestinian children in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The investigation documents direct killings, degrading treatment, and inhumane actions by Israeli security forces, including sexual and gender-based violence and torture. The report also highlights the destruction of schools and civilian infrastructure. Srinivasan Muralidhar, the human rights lawyer who chaired the commission, stated that by targeting children, Israel is attacking the capacity of the Palestinian people to exist.

Additionally, the UN report contradicts claims that conditions in Gaza are improving, noting that available aid remains woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the population.