UN Committee Accuses Israel of Violating Child Rights Treaty in Gaza

GENEVA — A United Nations committee has accused Israel of severe violations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, citing the “catastrophic” impact of its military actions in Gaza. The U.N. Committee, which monitors compliance with the 1989 treaty protecting children under the age of 18, stated that Israel’s recent military campaign has caused an “almost historically unique” number of child deaths, marking one of the worst violations in recent history.

According to Palestinian health authorities, over 11,355 children have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began on October 7, part of a broader toll of over 41,000 casualties. Israel’s military campaign was launched in response to attacks by Hamas, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages.

The Israeli delegation argued in earlier U.N. hearings that the child rights treaty does not apply in Gaza or the West Bank, and reiterated that its military operations aim to target Hamas militants, not civilians. However, the U.N. committee maintains that the violations of children’s rights in Gaza are among the most serious it has ever observed.