UN blacklists Israel for violence against children

The United Nations (UN) has officially blacklisted Israel for the second consecutive year over grave violations against children in armed conflict, citing extensive violence and rising child casualties in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The move comes amid mounting global concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the UN children's agency warns that children face a growing risk of dying from dehydration due to a collapse in water infrastructure.

In its annual report, 'Children and Armed Conflict', released on Thursday (June 19), the UN documented a 25% global rise in serious violations against children in 2024 compared to the previous year. The report identifies Palestinian children as the most affected victims, citing verified accounts of killings, maimings, and attacks on schools and hospitals.

The report stated that it verified 41,370 grave violations against children in 2024. Israeli forces were reportedly responsible for 20% of those violations. The UN accused Israel of targeting civilian infrastructure, including repeated strikes on hospitals and educational institutions, resulting in thousands of Palestinian child casualties.

"This is the second year in a row that Israel has been included on the list," the report noted, underscoring the scale and severity of violations amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Separately, the UN children's agency UNICEF has raised alarm over what it described as a "man-made drought" in Gaza, warning that a collapsing water system is putting children at imminent risk of death from dehydration.

Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said that more than 60% of Gaza’s clean water sources have been destroyed, and only 40% of water production facilities remain operational.

"The water system has completely collapsed," Elder warned. "Children will soon start dying of thirst if the situation continues."

Elder also described harrowing scenes from his recent visit to Gaza, where he witnessed women and children injured while trying to collect food. He recounted the death of a teenager who succumbed to injuries from a tank shell.

He added that confusion over aid center operations is contributing to the crisis, with families unable to access accurate information due to frequent internet outages. "People often receive conflicting information about whether aid centers are open or closed. When the internet goes down, they’re left with nothing," he said.