UN COMMISSION REPORTS CONTINUED CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AMONG CHILDREN IN GAZA AS ISRAEL REJECTS FINDINGS

UN COMMISSION REPORTS CONTINUED CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AMONG CHILDREN IN GAZA AS ISRAEL REJECTS FINDINGS An independent United Nations Commission of Inquiry has said that Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip continue to result in “unprecedented death, injury and trauma” among Palestinian children, as the war in the enclave persists. In its latest report released on Tuesday, the commission said that children in Gaza have been disproportionately affected by ongoing hostilities, citing continued civilian casualties, displacement, and long-term psychological harm. The panel, which previously stated that Israel’s actions in Gaza may amount to genocide under international law, reiterated concerns about the scale and impact of military operations on civilian populations, particularly minors. The report highlights what it describes as sustained patterns of harm to children, including deaths and severe injuries during airstrikes and ground operations across the territory. The Israeli government has strongly rejected the findings, maintaining that it does not commit genocide and insisting that its military actions are directed at Hamas and other armed groups operating in Gaza. Israeli officials have previously criticised UN reports on the conflict, arguing that they fail to adequately reflect security threats faced by Israel and the presence of militants in civilian areas. The commission’s findings add to growing international scrutiny of the war in Gaza, where humanitarian agencies continue to warn of worsening conditions for civilians, especially children. The United Nations inquiry said its conclusions were based on ongoing investigations into events since the escalation of the conflict and called for accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.