Violence towards kids in battle zones reached ‘unprecedented ranges’ in 2024, with most violations dedicated in Gaza, occupied West Financial institution, UN says.
The United Nations has stored Israel on its “blacklist” of nations committing abuses towards kids in armed battle for a second straight 12 months, as its war on Gaza continues for practically 20 months.
The itemizing on Thursday got here because the UN mentioned in a brand new report that violence towards kids in battle zones reached “unprecedented ranges” in 2024, with the best variety of violations dedicated within the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Financial institution by the Israeli military.
The annual report on Kids in Armed Battle detailed “a staggering” 25 p.c surge globally in grave violations towards kids under the age of 18 final 12 months from 2023. It mentioned it had verified 41,370 grave violations towards kids, together with killing and maiming, sexual violence, and assaults on faculties and hospitals.
Amongst them have been 8,554 grave violations towards 2,959 kids – 2,944 Palestinian, 15 Israeli – within the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.
The determine contains affirmation of 1,259 Palestinian kids killed and 941 wounded in Gaza, which has come underneath relentless Israeli bombardment following an assault led by the Palestinian group Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Ministry of Well being in Gaza has reported a lot greater figures, and the UN mentioned it’s at present verifying info on an extra 4,470 kids killed in 2024 within the besieged territory.
The UN mentioned it has additionally verified the killing of 97 Palestinian kids within the occupied West Financial institution, together with occupied East Jerusalem, the place a complete of three,688 violations have been recorded.
The report additionally known as out Israel’s army operations in Lebanon, the place greater than 500 kids have been killed or injured final 12 months.
UN chief Antonio Guterres mentioned he was “appalled by the depth of grave violations towards kids within the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel”, citing the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Guterres additionally reiterated his calls on Israel to abide by worldwide regulation requiring particular protections for kids, safety for faculties and hospitals, and compliance with the requirement that assaults distinguish between fighters and civilians and keep away from extreme hurt to harmless individuals.
There was no fast remark by Israel’s UN mission.
The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, and the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, have been additionally included within the blacklist for a second time.
Following the Palestinian territory, the international locations the place the UN registered probably the most violence towards kids in 2024 have been the Democratic Republic of the Congo (greater than 4,000 grave violations); Somalia (greater than 2,500); Nigeria (practically 2,500); and Haiti (greater than 2,200).
The sharpest share enhance within the variety of violations was recorded in Lebanon (545 p.c), adopted by Mozambique (525 p.c), Haiti (490 p.c), Ethiopia (235 p.c), and Ukraine (105 p.c), it added.
