A new report from a United Nations independent commission of inquiry, highlighted by Al Jazeera, has issued a searing condemnation of actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, stating that Israeli authorities and security forces have deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in the Gaza Strip. The findings outline a systematic destruction of the youngest and most vulnerable segment of Palestinian society. According to the commission, at least 20,179 children were killed and 44,143 were injured in Gaza during the first two years of the hostilities following October 2023. Children represent roughly 30% of the total death toll. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry stated that the high number of child casualties from high-payload munitions in densely populated areas indicates intentional targeting. The commission argued that targeting children is a key element proving “genocidal intent” aimed at destroying the biological continuity and future existence of the Palestinian group. The report emphasizes that even after a ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Israeli forces continued to disregard international legal protections, resulting in ongoing child deaths and serious injuries. The systematic bombardment of neonatal units, maternity clinics, schools, and orphanages has heavily disrupted the foundations of community care. Furthermore, a severe blockade causing widespread starvation has led to preventable deaths and life-altering developmental issues. Beyond Gaza, the report details war crimes in the West Bank, where Palestinian children have been subjected to arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, torture, and forms of sexual violence used as collective oppression. Israel has vehemently rejected the findings, labeling the UN commission’s report a “defamatory” and “libelous sham.” 

Let’s Pray:

Abba Father, Merciful and Compassionate God, at the dawn of Your creation, You proclaimed, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-28). Now, we come to You from the depths of our hearts, overwhelmed with sorrow. We believe with all our hearts that You did not create these children to suffer or perish, but to live and flourish. O Lord, please reveal Yourself and step forward for these innocent children. Do not turn away from Your people. Who will remain to praise You and lift Your name if not these children? Can the dead truly worship You from their graves, or proclaim Your goodness from beyond the veil? O God, just as You listened to the cry of the Israelites in their times of suffering and oppression, hear us now, Lord our God. You said, “Behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have seen their pain. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10) Lord, send forth the Moses of our time! Deliver these children from the oppressors of today. Put an unwavering end to the killing of these helpless little ones, so innocent and unaware of good and evil, as pure as doves. Send divine help from heaven; command Your angels to stand against those whose only desire is to prey upon and destroy the defenseless. Our hearts are broken, O Lord, as we witness the unimaginable suffering of children in Gaza and the West Bank. You said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) Look down now, O Lord, from Your throne in heaven. See every child whose life has been stolen, every newborn struggling for breath in a shattered hospital, and the thousands surviving with broken bodies and shattered childhoods. We humbly ask for Your divine protection to shield these remaining children. According to Your promises, O Father, renew their hope and secure their future, for You said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Lord, right now we feel only despair and hear the echoes of terror. Turn away the wickedness of mankind and restore Your peace in our hearts. Save these little ones from the barrage of bombs, the slow agony of starvation, and the fear of unjust captivity. Bring a genuine, lasting end to the violence that devastates innocent lives. Look upon the trauma, the enduring mental wounds, and the grief of countless orphans. Pour out Your divine healing and restore their minds and spirits. Grant them their childhood back—the freedom to play, to dream, and to hope for a safer tomorrow. We pray that the global community will no longer be indifferent. Shine Your light on hidden crimes, pierce the shields of injustice, and bring genuine justice and accountability for the vulnerable. Reveal Yourself to these wounded families as the God of Peace, the Healer of Wounds, and the One who defends the oppressed. Father, let Your mercy triumph over judgment. You are mighty to save. Redeem all these children, for You are our salvation and deliverance. May we praise You all our days and forever glorify Your holy name. In Your mighty, compassionate, and loving name, Jesus, Amen.

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Report date: June 24, 2026

Country: Palestinian/Gaza

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