UN Adds Israel To ‘Blacklist’ Of Countries That Harm Children

The United Nations has included Israel on its global  “blacklist”of countries and armed groups that have committed violations against children, according to Israel's UN envoy, Gilad Erdan. 

The move follows a lengthy war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 15,000 children among the 36,500 total killings over the past eight months and comes a day after the Israeli bombing of a UN school in central Gaza, which killed more than 40 Palestinians, some of them children.

Also Read:

• Bethlehem, Jerusalem And A Friend In Gaza

• Without Water And Privacy, Women Of Gaza Are Holding On – But For How Long?

• From Vietnam To Gaza, The Cycle Of War Repeats Itself

According to human rights officials, Hamas is also named in the report for its killing and kidnapping of children in its 7 October attack on Israel, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

The UN report, compiled by Virginia Gamba, the special representative for children and armed conflict, details various violations, including:

- Killing and maiming

- Sexual violence

- Abduction and recruitment of children

- Denial of aid access

- Targeting of schools and hospitals

Israel joins the list that includes Russia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Syria, and Haiti, in a move aimed at naming and shaming parties responsible for violence against children.

Erdan said he was “shocked and disgusted” by the “shameful” decision to include Israel on this year’s list and wrote on X: “The only one being blacklisted is the Secretary-General who incentivizes and encourages terrorism and is motivated by hatred towards Israel. The Secretary-General should be ashamed of himself!”

Meanwhile Palestinian Authority welcomed the decision. Senior Palestinian official Riad Malki said in a statement: “Now, faced with the catastrophe in Gaza that the world sees with its naked eyes with the genocide that specifically targets children and women, the UN secretary general no longer has excuses not to place Israel on the blacklist.” 

Rights groups have condemned the dire toll Israel’s bombardment and siege of Gaza has had on Palestinian children across the enclave, with UN experts warning of a humanitarian crisis in the region. The war has resulted in the largest loss of UN staff in the organisation's history, with dozens of workers killed in Gaza since the war began.