UN accuses Israel of 'massive' violations of child rights treaty in Gaza

The UN committee warns that the devastating impact of Israel's war on Gaza's children will hold an "extremely dark place in history."

In January, Al Jazeera reported that as the death toll of Palestinian children in Gaza reached around 10,000, one child was being killed every 15 minutes [File: Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu].

A United Nations committee has accused Israel of severe violations of a global treaty protecting children's rights, stating that its military actions in Gaza have had a devastating impact on children, ranking among the worst in recent history.

Since the war began following Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, more than 11,355 children have been killed in Gaza. The Hamas attacks resulted in over 1,100 deaths, mostly Israeli civilians, with around 250 people taken captive. In retaliation, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, killing over 41,000 people and leaving much of the enclave in ruins.

Bragi Gudbrandsson, vice chair of the UN committee, described the child death toll as "historically unique," adding, "This is an extremely dark place in history." He emphasized that the scale of the violations in Gaza is unlike anything seen before.

Additionally, thousands of children are believed to be missing under the rubble, buried in unmarked graves, or severely wounded by explosives, according to a June report by Save the Children. In January, Al Jazeera reported that, as the death toll of children reached about 10,000, one Palestinian child was being killed every 15 minutes.