According to the report, children accounted for around 30% of the casualties documented between October 2023 and October 2025. The commission estimates that more than 20,000 Palestinian children were killed and over 44,000 injured during that period, with thousands more believed to remain missing beneath the rubble of destroyed neighborhoods.
The inquiry examined incidents in which children— including infants—were allegedly killed by sniper fire and armed quadcopter drones. Drawing on testimony from medical personnel, eyewitness accounts, and forensic evidence, investigators concluded that injuries were consistent with highly precise shots to the head or chest, which the commission says indicates deliberate targeting rather than indiscriminate fire.
Commission chair Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar said: “By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future.” The report also states that children continued to be killed after the October 2025 ceasefire, including cases in which they were reportedly shot while collecting water or firewood near military positions.
The Wall of Tears exhibition in Dearborn, Michigan, shows the names (in English and Arabic) of 18,457 children killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. The exhibit was created by artist Phil Buehler. © IMAGO / ZUMA / JimxWest
By targeting children, Israel is attacking the very capacity of the Palestinian people to exist and to determine their future — Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar
The UN commission also described widespread orphanhood, malnutrition, disrupted education, and severe psychological trauma. It argues that the destruction of schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure has effectively “erased childhood” for many children in Gaza.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. Although the commission has no prosecutorial powers, its findings are expected to inform proceedings before international courts and contribute to wider debates on accountability, civilian protection, and the application of international humanitarian law.
