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 yr, 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 very 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 yr from 2023. It mentioned it had verified 41,370 grave violations towards kids, together with killing and maiming, sexual violence, and assaults on colleges and hospitals.
Amongst them had been 8,554 grave violations towards 2,959 kids – 2,944 Palestinian, 15 Israeli – within the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel.
The determine consists of 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 increased figures, and the UN mentioned it’s at the moment verifying info on a further 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 had been recorded.
The report additionally known as out Israel’s navy operations in Lebanon, the place greater than 500 kids had been killed or injured final yr.
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 legislation requiring particular protections for kids, safety for colleges 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 instant 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, had been additionally included within the blacklist for a second time.
Following the Palestinian territory, the international locations the place the UN registered essentially the most violence towards kids in 2024 had 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 improve 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.