Date: 25 June, 2026
Time: 17:00 – 18:00 (CEST)
Venue: Room IX, Palais des Nations, Geneva & ONLINE
Organised by Defence for Children International (DCI)
COMMISSION REPORT
On 23 June 2026, the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel released its latest report, “The essence of childhood has been destroyed: Israel’s deliberate targeting of Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 7 October 2023.”
The Commission found that Israeli security forces have caused serious physical and psychological harm to Palestinian children, resulting in the deaths of at least 20,179 children and injuries to 44,143 others, from 7 October 2023 to 7 October 2025.
EVENT SPEAKERS
Moderator: Mr. Alex Kamarotos, Executive Director, Defence for Children International
Panel:
- Mr. Srinivasan Muralidhar, Chair, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel
- Ms. Florence Mumba, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel
- Mr. Chris Sidoti, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel
- Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health (online)
- Mr. Khaled Quzmar, Child Rights Defender (online)
EVENT CONTEXT
On 23 June 2026, the United Nations (UN) Independent International Commission of Inquiry of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel (“Commission”), will release a thematic report on violations against and affecting Palestinian children since 7 October 2023.
Grounded in investigative findings, the report will establish violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international criminal law from a child rights perspective, drawing on forensic analysis, witness testimonies and, where possible, the identification of perpetrators. The report will offer a very comprehensive and elaborate analysis of these violations and crimes with exhaustive evidence, patterns, and legal findings. The report examines killings and injuries, mistreatment during arrests and detention, and sexual and gender-based violence against children; attacks on healthcare and the short to long-term impact of such attacks on children; attacks on and military occupation of schools in Gaza and closure and restrictions on schools in the West Bank which have induced long term academic harm and learning disruptions. Similarly, the Commission has also investigated attacks and damage sustained by orphanages as well as the impact of the loss of care for orphans and unaccompanied. The report also looks into the conditions of life imposed in Gaza resulting in preventable mortality affecting different age groups – exacerbating morbidity and mental trauma from relentless military attacks.
The report concludes by identifying serious accountability gaps and puts forward targeted recommendations to States, UN bodies and other stakeholders. These recommendations focus on ending ongoing violations, ensuring reparations, pursuing accountability and enforcing international measures, including sanctions, with a view to advancing future justice efforts through a child-rights lens.
EVENT OBJECTIVES
The discussions will be guided by the following objectives:
- Provide a clear and comprehensive understanding of the scale and gravity of human rights violations against Palestinian children, underlining the urgency of international attention and intervention.
- Foster open and constructive dialogue among UN Member States, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen coordination and collective response.
- Highlight the imperative of ensuring accountability for unlawful killings, torture and other atrocity crimes committed against Palestinian children, in line with international human rights and international humanitarian law.