UN: Gaza children bear brunt of record violence in conflict zones

The United Nations has sounded the alarm over what it calls an “unprecedented” rise in violence against children caught in conflict zones, with Gaza topping a grim global list.

In its annual report, the UN confirmed more than 8,500 grave violations against Palestinian children in 2024, most carried out by Israeli forces. More than 4,800 of those violations were recorded in the Gaza Strip alone.

The UN said it had verified the deaths of 1,259 Palestinian children in Gaza, while information on another 4,470 reported child fatalities is still under review. The devastating numbers stem largely from Israel’s ongoing military assault on Gaza.

Israeli forces remain on the UN’s so-called “list of shame” for grave violations, including killings, recruitment, and obstruction of aid.

The occupied West Bank has also witnessed a surge in violence, with rights groups reporting increased military raids, home demolitions and settler attacks since the war on Gaza began.