Tehran – Nothing symbolizes war crimes or crimes against humanity more than the intentional murder of a child. Since launching the attack on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, Israel has faced accusations that many international experts have called one of the deadliest conflicts in recent history, systematically targeting civilians, especially minors.
Israel killed more than 60,000 Palestinians during the war, including at least 18,592 children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Many of the victims say they were newborns or infants. Israeli airstrikes can sometimes die a few hours after birth as they collided with motherly wards, hospitals and homes.
On July 30, the Washington Post announced the names and ages of 18,500 Palestinian children killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict. Their analysis showed that 915 children were killed before reaching their first birthday. Citing UNICEF, the report states: “Some were killed in beds. Others were while playing. Many were buried before they learned to walk. Gaza is the most dangerous place in the world.”
In 2024, the United Nations added Israeli military to its annual “Shaming List.” This is a global blacklist of military and armed groups responsible for serious violations against children. Other entities on the list include ISIS, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.
Despite repeated criticisms from the international community, Israel continues to bomb private infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, homes and evacuation camps. Israel justified its action by claiming that Hamas uses civilian regions for military operations but failed to provide verifiable evidence in support of many of these claims.
Several human rights groups and international organizations, including the United Nations, the European government and legal experts, have said Hamas’ presence in the private region does not justify an indiscriminate scale attack that left tens of thousands of civilians, including children.
The devastation of Gaza exceeds airstrikes. The continued blockade of Israel’s territory has created a catastrophic shortage of food, water and medicine. According to the UN Human Rights Office, 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while awaiting humanitarian aid since May, many of them children and women suffering from starvation and dehydration.
On July 29, Israeli rights group B’tselem and human rights doctors issued a joint statement accusing them of committing genocide in Gaza, pointing to the systemic destruction of Palestinian society and the intentional dismantling of the healthcare system. Israel is also the subject of active genocide cases by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Under international humanitarian law, intentional killing of civilians, especially children, constitutes war crimes. If carried out extensively or systematically, such conduct could also be a crime against humanity. The International Criminal Court (ICC) Roman law explicitly prohibits targeting civilians, especially when attacks are not directed towards military targets.
The Geneva Convention and its additional protocols mandate the protection of civilians in times of conflict and provide special protection for children due to their inherent vulnerabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC) guarantees that even at times of war, all children have a right to life, survival and protection from violence.
Additionally, UN Security Council resolutions and customary international law identifies child murder or anxiety as one of six serious violations during armed conflict. These legal frameworks bind all parties, whether the dispute is international or domestic.