The UN report verified the use of 27 Palestinian boys by Israeli armed and security forces “as human shields” during operations in the West Bank and in Gaza.
The United Nations has listed Israel as one of the countries that have committed the “highest numbers” of grave violations against children in armed conflict, with more than 8,000 verified cases.
“The highest numbers of grave violations were verified in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,554),” the UN said in its annual report on Children in Armed Conflict, released on Thursday.
Violations against children in armed conflict have soared, with Israeli forces responsible for more than any other party to conflict. My new dispatch on UNSG @antonioguterres‘ new annual report: https://t.co/TFHpwQy0h1
— Jo Becker (@jobeckerhrw) June 20, 2025
“The United Nations verified 8,554 grave violations against 2,959 children (1,925 boys, 1,034 girls; Israeli children (15), Palestinian children (2,944)) in Israel (10); and in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,544) (West Bank, including East Jerusalem (3,688); and in the Gaza Strip (4,856)),” it noted.
In addition, 2,789 grave violations that occurred in 2023 in the Gaza Strip (2,788) and in Israel (1) were verified. In addition, the United Nations received reports of the killing of 4,470 children in the Gaza Strip in 2024, which it said are pending verification.
Israel, included for the second consecutive year in the report, was followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and Haiti, as having the “highest numbers” of violations.
‘Unprecedented Levels’
In the period January to December 2024, the UN said violence against children in armed conflict reached “unprecedented levels,” with a staggering 25 per cent surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023.
The UN verified 41,370 grave violations affecting 22,495 children in 2024.
Israel included for the second year in a row on UN report into child violations, which says Israeli forces fulfilled criteria of a “party that kills and maims children” and “a party that engages in attacks on schools and/or hospitals.”
🟥 Read report: https://t.co/5vTEg96jO0 pic.twitter.com/14QUGKNPEI
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 20, 2025
“While non-State armed groups were responsible for almost 50 per cent of grave violations, government forces were the main perpetrator of the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access,” the report stated.
The violations verified in the greatest numbers were the killing (4,676) and maiming (7,291) of 11,967 children, the denial of humanitarian access (7,906 incidents), the recruitment and use of children (7,402) and the abduction of children (4,573), it noted.
Israeli Armed Forces, Settlers
In Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, a total of 7,188 grave violations were attributed to the Israeli armed and security forces and 42 to illegal Israeli settlers.
Children living amidst hostilities are being stripped of their childhood
Highest number of grave violations against #children in armed conflict since the inception of the #CAAC mandate was verified in 2024: 41,370 incidents
Full report: https://t.co/HYKVv5ohL3 pic.twitter.com/mb0VkWbLke
— Children and Armed Conflict 📍 #ProveItMatters (@childreninwar) June 19, 2025
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the report that he is “appalled by the intensity of grave violations against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, notably by the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas.”
Guterres added that he was “deeply concerned by the significant rise in grave violations Gaza and “deeply alarmed by the escalating violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
Human Shields and Detainees
The UN report verified the use of 27 Palestinian boys by Israeli armed and security forces “as human shields” during operations in the West Bank and in Gaza.
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It also verified the detention of 951 Palestinian children (940 boys, 11 girls) for “alleged security offences” by Israeli armed and security forces in the West Bank, in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. This includes the detention by Israeli armed and security forces “of a Palestinian girl whose whereabouts remain unknown.”
Israeli authorities, the UN said, reported that 112 Palestinian children were held under administrative detention, without charge or trial as at December 31, 2024, in addition to 25 children transferred to Israel from the Gaza Strip and detained under the “unlawful combatant” designation.
Killing of Children
The UN also verified the killing of 97 Palestinian children (92 boys and five girls) in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
In the Gaza Strip, it verified the killing of 1,259 Palestinian children (662 boys, 597 girls). Of the total (1,356), 754 were boys and 602 were girls.
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In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the UN verified the killing of 90 Palestinian children attributed to Israeli armed and security forces, including 70 as a result of live ammunition and 20 due to air strikes.
“Further, the killing of 1,637 children (794 boys, 843 girls) between October and December 2023 was verified,,” the report said.
Most incidents “were caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas by Israeli armed and security forces.”
Children Maimed
A total of 1,561 Palestinian children (1,131 boys, 430 girls) were verified as having been maimed in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, with 620 cases, while 941 cases were documented in Gaza.
The UN “verified maiming attributed to Israeli armed and security forces (1,507), Israeli settlers (35), unidentified perpetrators (15) (including as a result of unexploded ordnance (3), simultaneous gunfire by Israeli armed and security forces and Israeli settlers (4)) and Palestinian Authority Security Forces.
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In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, most children were maimed by live ammunition (313), teargas inhalation (168), rubber-coated metal bullets (20) and air strikes (10).
In Gaza, most children were maimed by Israeli armed and security forces air strikes (787), tank shelling (84) and live ammunition (57).
In addition, the UN verified that 1,147 Palestinian children (666 boys, 481 girls) were maimed between October and December 2023 in the Gaza Strip, by Israeli armed and security forces (1,123) and unidentified perpetrators (24).
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The UN report also documented attacks on 502 schools (148) and hospitals (354), including on protected persons in relation to schools and/or hospitals (110), and on ambulances (41), with most cases attributed to Israeli armed and security forces.
Denial of Humanitarian Access
The denial of humanitarian access by Israeli armed and security forces (5,091) was verified in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (2,828) and in the Gaza Strip (2,263).
“We are eating sand instead of bread.”
A Palestinian child in northwestern Gaza cries out in frustration from extreme hunger, having lost hope of obtaining even a bag of flour amid a severe shortage of humanitarian aid pic.twitter.com/sk8byFfZUt
— TRT World (@trtworld) June 20, 2025
In the Gaza Strip, the UN verified 2,263 denials of humanitarian access by Israeli authorities related to the coordination of humanitarian aid missions being denied (1,262) or access being impeded (1,001) by Israeli authorities, out of 5,321 planned missions.
In addition, 2,823 permit applications (1,600 for boys, 1,223 for girls) to Israeli authorities for children from the West Bank to gain access to specialized medical treatment “were denied or not approved in time to reach scheduled hospital appointments.”
‘Deeply Alarmed’ – Guterres
Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed by the continued increase in grave violations against children perpetrated by Israeli armed and security forces, notably the high number of children killed and maimed, attacks on schools and hospitals, including ambulances and protected persons in relation to schools and/or hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access.”
He reiterated his calls to Israel “to abide by international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including its obligations to respect the special protections afforded to children,” and to protect schools and hospitals.
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Guterres also condemned attacks against humanitarian operations, premises and workers, including the killing of humanitarian personnel.
“I call upon Israel to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it, and to allow and facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian aid and personnel into and within the Gaza Strip,” the UN secretary-general stated.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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