The baseline of international humanitarian law has always rested on a single, unshakeable moral consensus: children must never be targeted. Yet, this consensus has been severely shattered by the rogue and fake state of Israel. A 94-page report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry further shatters any lingering illusions about the tactical boundaries of the terrorist Israeli regime.
The report establishes a chilling conclusion: the killing, maiming, and systemic abuse of Palestinian children are not the collateral damage of urban warfare. Instead, they constitute a deliberate, institutionalised strategy that amounts to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
The findings compiled by the Commission paint a harrowing picture of a military apparatus operating with total impunity. Between October 2023 and October 2025 alone, at least 20180 children were killed, and over 44143 were injured in Gaza. However, the crisis extends far beyond numbers; it lies in the horrific tactics deployed against the most vulnerable.
Commission documented a consistent pattern of Israeli snipers and high-resolution quadcopter drones tracking and executing children. These were not erratic crossfire incidents. Forensic evidence and witness testimonies show children being shot while carrying white flags, evacuating under military orders, or simply gathering food. By targeting children, the fake state is intentionally trying to destroy the demographic vitality and future of Palestinian society.
While children are systematically terrorised and exterminated, we sit paralysed in the comfort of our air-conditioned rooms.
Among the most horrific findings highlighted by UN experts is the systematic use of sexual and gender-based violence against detained Palestinian children. Israeli forces deployed sexual violence and degradation as part of the collective shaming and oppression embedded within their occupation tactics.
Palestinian boys as young as 12 have been subjected to arbitrary mass arrests, held incommunicado in adult military prisons, and subjected to severe physical abuse. Children reported being held naked, subjected to sleep deprivation, forced into painful stress positions, and terrorised by military dogs. This physical torture is paired with profound mental abuse, creating an occupied psyche, which is an intergenerational trauma where the freedom to imagine, play, or feel safe is systematically stripped away.
The publication of this report is a historical marker of legal accountability, but it is equally an indictment of global paralysis. It exposes a profound moral failure on two monumental scales.
For a world populated by over 7 billion people, the continuous broadcast of these atrocities represents a complete collapse of international law. The institutions built after World War II to guarantee “never again” have been reduced to issuing press releases while vetoes protect the perpetrators. By continuing to provide diplomatic cover, financial backing, and weapons transfers to the Israeli regime, global powers are not mere bystanders; they are active accomplices in the destruction of an entire generation of children. Moreover, for the global community of over 2 billion Muslims, this situation is a devastating mirror. Despite possessing vast economic leverage, geopolitical influence, and shared cultural and religious ties, the response from leading institutions and states has remained largely confined to rhetorical condemnation. The inability of the Muslim world to form a unified, effective front to stop the starvation, torture, and slaughter of children right on its doorstep remains a historic stain.
UN Commission’s report makes it undeniably clear: when a regime systematically targets neonatal care centres to endanger newborns, weaponises starvation, and uses torture and sexual degradation against minors, it forfeits any claim to democratic values or self-defence.
The international community can no longer shield itself behind the excuse of ignorance. If the systematic, well-documented torture and execution of children cannot move 7 billion people to enforce immediate arms embargoes and legal accountability, then the global moral order has not just failed Palestine; it has failed entirely.
While children are systematically terrorised and exterminated, we sit paralysed in the comfort of our air-conditioned rooms. How do we silence our conscience while watching a genocide from our sofas? When we stand before the ALMIGHTY, no excuse will mask our apathy. As humans and as Muslims, our collective silence is a profound and enduring humiliation. Are we ashamed?
The writer is an alumnus of QAU, FUI & a freelance columnist, based in Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected].