United Nations(UN) has added Israel to the global list of states and armed groups that have committed violations against children, according to Israel’s UN envoy, Gilad Erdan. This decision comes after eight months of conflict in Gaza, during which over 13,000 children are estimated to be among the 36,500 casualties. The inclusion follows an Israeli bombing of a UN school in central Gaza, which killed more than 40 Palestinians, including children.
The report also names Hamas for its actions on October 7, where nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed and children were kidnapped. Erdan condemned the decision, calling it “shameful,” while Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the UN’s stance. Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, warned of further strain in relations with the UN, particularly with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The UN report, compiled by Virginia Gamba, the secretary-general’s special representative for children and armed conflict, documents violations like killing, maiming, and abducting children, and targeting schools and hospitals. The list aims to deter violence against children by naming and shaming offenders.
Critics have claimed that Israel has been left off this list in previous years due to political pressure. Human rights groups emphasize that listing a state or group should prompt the UN to engage with them to prevent future violations. Erdan responded to the decision through a video on social media, defending the morality of Israel’s army and denouncing the UN’s action. There has been no immediate comment from the office of the UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
