Israel and Hamas are back on a UN "list of shame" for grave abuses against children in conflict zones for the second year running.
An annual report for 2024, issued by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and released on Friday, identified nearly 20 conflict zones worldwide where the rights of children under 18 have been violated. The report includes a list that names groups and armed forces responsible for abuses such as killing and maiming children, recruiting minors for violence, kidnappings, denying humanitarian aid and sexual violence.
The report for 2024 said more than 8,500 incidents had been verified in Israel and Palestine - the highest globally - with 2,917 Palestinian and 15 Israeli children killed or maimed.
The October-December 2023 period saw a sharp spike, with 1,637 Palestinian children killed and 1,147 injured, compared to two Israeli child deaths.
“These figures represent real children whose lives have been violently torn from them, whose schools have been bombed, and who have been left without access to life-saving humanitarian aid,” said Bethany Ellis, director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict.
The report also called out Israel's military operations in Lebanon, where more than 500 children were killed or injured last year.
Violence against children in war zones around the world surged to “unprecedented levels” last year, with the highest number of grave abuses recorded in nearly three decades.
The report documented a 25 per cent surge in severe abuses against children compared to 2023, continuing a worsening trend.
“In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25 per cent surge in the number of grave violations,” the report said.
A total of 41,370 violations were verified – 36,221 committed in 2024 and 5,149 from prior years but newly confirmed – the highest since the UN began systematic monitoring. The figure surpasses 2023’s record, which itself saw a 21 per cent rise from 2022.
More than 4,500 children were killed and 7,000 injured, with minors enduring “the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks”, the report said. It also noted a sharp increase in children suffering several acts of abuse, with 22,495 such cases recorded.
“The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings, should keep all of us awake at night,” said Virginia Gamba, special representative of the UN Secretary General for children and armed conflict.
“This must serve as a wake-up call. We are at the point of no return."
