SENTINEL INTELLIGENCE

UN inquiry: Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children as part of genocide UN inquiry: Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children as part of genocide Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 12:43 Report finds at least 20,179 children killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023, including after the ceasefire of October last year A man carries a wounded Palestinian child in Nasser Medical Complex's trauma ward, Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 25 May 2026 (AFP/Bashar Taleb) Off The UN's top investigative body on Palestine and Israel has concluded that Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children, committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, as well as additional war crimes in the occupied West Bank. An 88-page report on Tuesday documents the killing of at least 20,179 children and wounding of 44,143 others in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and 7 October 2025. Children represented 30 percent of those killed and 26 percent of those injured in that period. "The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces," said Srinivasan Muralidhar, chair of Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel. "Even after the October 2025 ceasefire, children continue to be killed and seriously injured, with continued disregard by Israel for the ceasefire and for the protection owed to Palestinian children under international law." Citing the Genocide Convention, the report concluded that the deliberate targeting of children is among the elements establishing Israel's genocidal intent to destroy the Palestinian group, in whole or in part, in Gaza. The new report builds on the commission's finding last September that Israel was responsible for genocide in Gaza. Navi Pillay, who then chaired the commission, told MEE at the time that it was "the most authoritative finding emanating from the United Nations to date" regarding genocide in Gaza. Exclusive: Navi Pillay on Israel's Gaza genocide and global complicity Read More » The report turns its focus specifically to children, examining physical injury, detention, reproductive violence and psychological trauma. It describes a consistent pattern of children being shot with Israeli precision weapons, including by snipers and quadcopters. Medical professionals documented single gunshot wounds to the head and upper body across hundreds of cases. In April 2024, a 10-day-old baby boy was shot in the head by a quadcopter while being breastfed inside a tent in Nuseirat camp. In August 2024, a four-year-old girl was shot in the head by a quadcopter while eating with her family in Khan Younis. Seventeen medical practitioners who worked in Gaza told the commission they observed a consistent pattern of children arriving with single gunshot wounds from snipers or quadcopters concentrated in the head and upper body. One doctor said Israeli soldiers appeared to be "deliberately shooting teenage boys in a game of target practice". The commission identifies specific Israeli military units responsible for killings, including the Kfir Brigade, the 162nd Division, the 98th and 99th Divisions, and a specialist drone unit known as the Refaim or Ghost Unit. Killings during ceasefire The killings by the Israeli army have continued after the October 2025 ceasefire, which was supposed to bring an end to violence but has instead been consistently violated by Israel. For example, on 29 November, two brothers aged nine and 10 were shot dead by an Israeli drone near Bani Suheila in southern Gaza while gathering firewood. Israeli forces described them as "suspects" crossing the so-called yellow line. The commission found that claim baseless. The boys were more than 300 metres from Israeli soldiers, were visibly children collecting wood, and the drone operator would have had a clear view of them. In addition to direct targeting, the report documents the destruction of Palestinian childhood across every dimension. 'Even if the bombs and guns fall silent in Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian children will not simply recover overnight' - Srinivasan Muralidhar, UN commissioner Of Gaza's 564 school buildings, 459 were directly hit by October 2025. Children in Gaza have missed three full school years. Over 668,000 school-age children were denied access to formal education. As of January 2026, more than 335,000 children under five were at risk of severe developmental delays due to the collapse of early childhood services. Furthermore, attacks on neonatal infrastructure directly caused preventable deaths among newborns. Before October 2023, Gaza had 178 incubators across eight neonatal intensive care units. By November 2024 that number had fallen to 54. Miscarriage rates increased by up to 300 percent. By March 2026, 70 percent of newborns were classified as premature or underweight. The commission also found that Palestinian children detained by Israeli forces were subjected to torture, sexual violence, forced public nudity, stress positions, and denial of food, water and medical care. A 17-year-old boy from Ramallah died in Megiddo Prison on 22 March 2025 from severe prolonged malnutrition. His body was withheld from his family for months. “It looks like Hiroshima. It looks like Germany at the end of World War Two.” Israeli-American historian and professor of holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University, Omer Bartov, described Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza as an act of annihilation of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/blxePXgSsf — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) December 20, 2024 The commission found his death amounts to wilful killing as a war crime. "Even if the bombs and guns fall silent in Gaza and West Bank, Palestinian children will not simply recover overnight," Muralidhar said. "The destruction of their health, education and development is irreversible." The commission called on Israel to immediately halt military operations, release detained children, return withheld bodies and end the siege. It urged member states to cease arms transfers to Israel and impose targeted sanctions, and called on the International Criminal Court to prioritise crimes against children in the ongoing Palestine investigation. Israel did not respond to the commission's 13 requests for information or access. Israel's genocide in Gaza News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

The Zionist occupying regime set fire to Palestinian lands around the village of "Ramana" in the west of "Jenin" in the West Bank. @TasnimNews

Fighting reported in Hebron, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.5333, 35.1 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 5; average tone: -8.35030549898167. Source article: https://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-arrests-21-palestinians-including-released-detainees-in-occupied-west-bank/3975300

Fighting reported in Jerusalem, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7667, 35.2333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 5; average tone: 1.50602409638554. Source article: http://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-900270

Fighting reported in Jerusalem, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7667, 35.2333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 5; average tone: 1.50602409638554. Source article: http://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-900270

Fighting reported in Jerusalem, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7667, 35.2333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 5; average tone: 1.50602409638554. Source article: http://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-900270

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 1; average tone: -10.5017502917153. Source article: https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/israel-targets-children-in-gaza-west-bank-amid-genocide-claims-un

‘Killed pursuing her dream’: Gaza girl on her way to school dies in Israeli drone strike ‘Killed pursuing her dream’: Gaza girl on her way to school dies in Israeli drone strike Submitted by Maha Hussaini on Tue, 06/23/2026 - 09:23 Determined to continue her education despite war and displacement, Raghad Ashour was killed before she could realise her dream of attending university Raghad Ashour, 17, was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Gaza City on 22 June 2026 (X) Off Just days before her preparatory classes for secondary school exams were due to begin, 17-year-old Raghad Ashour rejected a marriage proposal, determined to complete her education first. On Monday morning, the Palestinian teenager left her family’s makeshift tent in central Gaza City and set off for a nearby learning centre. She never arrived. Just metres from the centre, the teenager was killed in an Israeli drone strike. At least five others were wounded in the double-tap attack on the Rimal neighbourhood. “Despite everything she had been through, she was determined to attend her classes,” her great-uncle, Jamil Ashour, told Middle East Eye as he received mourners. “She found a centre near the camp and went there every morning. “She studied hard and would arrive early to secure a desk and make sure everything was ready before lessons began. But she never made it to the centre.” Education disrputed For the third consecutive year, more than 658,000 school-age children in Gaza have been deprived of face-to-face education, with more than 97 percent of schools damaged or destroyed in Israeli attacks. The remaining schools are now being used as shelters for tens of thousands of displaced people who have lost their homes in the bombing since October 2023. In response to recurring disruptions, the Palestinian Ministry of Education introduced limited forms of remote learning, particularly for senior high school students. Lessons, revision materials and guidance were delivered through digital platforms, messaging applications, and recorded or live sessions where possible. Yet for many students, access to online education remains out of reach. The destruction of much of Gaza’s electricity and telecommunications infrastructure has left homes and displacement camps with little or no power and internet connectivity. 'This is just a child. What does she have to do with all of this?' - Jamil Ashour, Raghad's great-uncle With no alternatives, students often rely on cafes and other public spaces using solar panels or fuel-powered generators to download learning materials, charge their phones, or attend online exams. Many students also enrol in private educational centres where teachers and trainers provide additional lessons to support their online learning. “Now and then, she would face challenges, whether it was the lack of electricity and the inability to recharge her phone when she returned to the tent, or at times when her phone broke down,” Ashour said. “But she never allowed these obstacles to stop her,” he added. “She grew up a single orphan and came to realise that nothing could support her like an education that would secure her a good job.” At least 19,100 Palestinian school students and 1,379 university students have been killed by Israeli military attacks since October 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Education. Another 28,419 school students and 3,017 university students have been wounded. ‘Flower of the house’ Raghad was the only daughter in her family. Her father was killed in an Israeli attack when she was about three years old, leaving her mother to raise her and her four brothers alone. “Just yesterday, I visited them in their tent and drank tea she had made with her own hands,” Ashour said. “She told me stories, and we laughed together. “She was the flower of the house. Her brothers adored her, and her mother always said she was more than a daughter - she was her friend and companion through the darkest days.” Shortly after Raghad’s death, her mother fainted and was taken to the hospital. There is no ceasefire in Gaza Read More » “Her heart simply couldn’t bear it; she fainted despite everyone trying to comfort her,” Ashour said, adding that doctors told him she might need to remain in the hospital until Tuesday. Raghad is among at least 1,011 Palestinians killed in ongoing Israeli military attacks on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement on 11 October 2025. More than 3,000 others have been wounded. “Every time, they kill and wound scores of people, claiming they wanted to target one person,” Ashour continued. “This is just a child. What does she have to do with all of this? She insisted on continuing her education, despite being deprived of her father, her home, and any chance to live a normal childhood.” Raghad is originally from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. She and her family were displaced multiple times since 7 October 2023, eventually ending up in a displacement camp in central Gaza City after their home was bombed. “Since her father was killed, her mother devoted her life entirely to her children. She was proud to have raised her into a young woman who helped her at home and excelled at school,” Ashour said. When someone proposed marriage, Raghad’s mother was happy that her daughter had reached an age where she could become a bride. “She was over the moon. She never thought she would manage to raise and educate her until this age. She wanted to see her as a bride,” he continued. “But Raghad completely refused the idea. She didn’t want to get married, so she called me to come over and convince her mother. She wanted to finish her education and go to university.” “Our only consolation is that she was killed on her way to pursuing her dream.” Israel's genocide in Gaza Gaza City, occupied Palestine News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

The attack of the Zionist regime on the occupied Jerusalem 🔹 The soldiers of the occupying Zionist regime attacked the occupied city of Quds at the same time as they attacked different areas of the West Bank. @TasnimNews

The attack of the Zionist regime on Nablus 🔹 Palestinian news sources reported the attack of the Zionist occupying regime on the city of Nablus. @TasnimNews

Video: Israeli strike in Gaza City kills Palestinian student Video: Israeli strike in Gaza City kills Palestinian student Israeli forces struck a vehicle in Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood on Monday, killing a Palestinian student and leaving three others wounded. Footage from the scene shows civilians rushing to the initial impact site and then scrambling for cover as a second strike occurred. Israeli forces struck a vehicle in Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood on Monday, killing a Palestinian student and leaving three others wounded. Footage from the scene shows civilians rushing to the initial impact site and then scrambling for cover as a second strike occurred pic.twitter.com/4Xrbi99wq0 — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 23, 2026

Video: Palestinians rush to collect cement after Israel uses it to seal off tunnel Video: Palestinians rush to collect cement after Israel uses it to seal off tunnel Palestinians in al-Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza rushed to collect wet cement that surfaced on the streets after Israeli forces pumped it into a tunnel to seal it off, amid ongoing shortages and the Israeli blockade on construction materials. Residents reported that the cement had overflowed and spilt onto the surface and surrounding streets. Palestinians in al-Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza rushed to collect wet cement that surfaced on streets after Israeli forces pumped it into a tunnel to seal it off, amid ongoing shortages and blockades of construction material pic.twitter.com/Ehdtq6yGK3 — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 23, 2026

Israeli strike kills Palestinian girl on her way to sit exam 17-year-old Raghad Ashour was walking to school to take an exam when she was killed in an Israeli strike.

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 4; average tone: -10.122699386503. Source article: https://www.the-messenger.com/news/world/article_10a87121-8a7e-54aa-8418-86f7d835e7f3.html

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -10.122699386503. Source article: https://www.the-messenger.com/news/world/article_10a87121-8a7e-54aa-8418-86f7d835e7f3.html

The attack of Zionist settlers on the homes and cars of Palestinians Local Palestinian sources reported that Zionist settlers attacked a house in the village of "Barqa" in the east of Ramallah and destroyed Palestinian cars. @TasnimNews

Fighting reported in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7496, 34.9888 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 4; average tone: -7.65765765765766. Source article: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900188

Fighting reported in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7496, 34.9888 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -7.65765765765766. Source article: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900188

Assault reported in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7496, 34.9888 GDELT CAMEO event code 18 (Assault); mentions: 10; average tone: -7.65765765765766. Source article: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900188

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 1; average tone: -8.88888888888889. Source article: https://freebeacon.com/israel/hamas-sniper-who-worked-for-al-jazeera-dies-in-israeli-airstrike-joins-long-list-of-terrorists-disguised-as-journalists-aj-praises-kind-principled-worker/

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 6; average tone: -8.88888888888889. Source article: https://freebeacon.com/israel/hamas-sniper-who-worked-for-al-jazeera-dies-in-israeli-airstrike-joins-long-list-of-terrorists-disguised-as-journalists-aj-praises-kind-principled-worker/

Fighting reported in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7496, 34.9888 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -7.65765765765766. Source article: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900188

Fighting reported in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.7496, 34.9888 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -7.65765765765766. Source article: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900188

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 1; average tone: -8.88888888888889. Source article: https://freebeacon.com/israel/hamas-sniper-who-worked-for-al-jazeera-dies-in-israeli-airstrike-joins-long-list-of-terrorists-disguised-as-journalists-aj-praises-kind-principled-worker/

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -8.88888888888889. Source article: https://freebeacon.com/israel/hamas-sniper-who-worked-for-al-jazeera-dies-in-israeli-airstrike-joins-long-list-of-terrorists-disguised-as-journalists-aj-praises-kind-principled-worker/

Israeli raids and settler attacks intensify across occupied West Bank Israeli raids and settler attacks intensify across occupied West Bank As attention remains focused on the agreement between Iran and the United States, Israeli forces have reportedly stepped up operations across the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Israeli forces raided the town of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, storming a cafe and a carpentry workshop. One Palestinian was detained during the raid before later being released. In a separate incident, Israeli settlers reportedly attacked several Palestinians near the village of Atara, north of Ramallah. According to Wafa, the settlers beat the Palestinians, tied them up and held them until Israeli forces arrived. Elsewhere, Israeli forces detained a Palestinian child in the Silwan neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem. In Jenin, Israeli forces reportedly excavated privately owned agricultural land as part of preparations for a planned military camp. Landowner Mansour Qabha said the army seized the plot despite his family possessing official documents proving ownership.

Fighting reported in Gaza, Israel (general), Israel (israel theater). Coordinates (WGS84): 31.4167, 34.3333 GDELT CAMEO event code 19 (Fighting); mentions: 2; average tone: -4.06320541760723. Source article: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2648130

Israel holding teens shot dead in the West Bank: Wafa Israel holding teens shot dead in the West Bank: Wafa Israel is holding the bodies of two Palestinian teenagers who shot dead near an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to local news. he Palestinian Authority said the bodies of Reda Sami Awad, 15, and Arafat Ismail Awad, 19, were with the Israeli authorities. “Israeli forces are holding their bodies,” the Wafa news agency said.

The attack of the Zionist military on the Jenin area in the West Bank 🔹 Zionist regime soldiers attacked Arabuneh town located in the northeast of Jenin, deployed their forces around this area and started shooting widely. @TasnimNews

Israeli raid in Hebron kills two Palestinians, including child Israeli raid in Hebron kills two Palestinians, including child Submitted by Mera Aladam on Mon, 06/22/2026 - 10:21 The bodies of the victims remain held in Israeli custody after attack on town of Beit Ummar An Israeli soldier keeps watch during a weekly Israeli settlers' storming in Hebron, occupied West Bank, 20 June 2026 (Mussa Qawasma/Reuters) Off Israeli forces early on Monday stormed Beit Ummar, a town northwest of Hebron in the occupied West Bank , killing two Palestinians , including a child. Israeli forces fired at several Palestinian youth near the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur, according to local reports. Two people were wounded in the attack and later taken to hospital, where their condition was described as stable. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the killing of 15 year-old Reda Sami Hassan Awad and Issa Arafat Ismail Awad, 19. Reports noted that the victims of the attack were left bleeding for an extended period, before their bodies were taken and withheld by Israeli forces. An extensive military search was subsequently conducted in the area. The army said it opened fire at the group after they threw Molotov cocktails and set fire to the area near the settlement. Local media indicated that a comprehensive general strike was held in the town to protest the attack and killings. Reda Sami Hassan Awad, 15, and Issa Arafat Ismail Awad, 19, were killed in an Israeli shooting in northwest Hebron, occupied West Bank, 22 June 2026 (X/Screenshot) The town of Beit Ummar has seen increasing military raids and operations in the area, amid escalating Israeli violence in Hebron and the West Bank as a whole. Israeli forces have carried out several incursions in neighbourhoods across Hebron in recent months, imposing curfews for days, blocking access to livelihoods, and deploying military vehicles and bulldozers to seal neighbourhood entrances. Israeli officials frequently enter the occupied city under the protection of the Israeli army during the curfews. In early June, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was seen marching through the streets of Hebron in a heavily secured convoy of Israeli forces. Following these recent raids, local residents say that the ultimate goal is to expand settlement outposts, shorten the distances between them, and to permanently consolidate the settler presence across the West Bank. International organisations such as Amnesty International and the UN continue to draw attention to systematic ethnic cleansing campaigns against Palestinians in the occupied territory, resulting in the forced expulsion of entire communities. The Palestinian health ministry announced that the latest killings raise the death toll from Israeli assaults in the West Bank to 70 since the start of this year, including the killing of 17 children, five women and two elderly people. Over 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the occupied territory since Israel launched its genocidal campaign in the Gaza Strip. Occupation News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0