Palestinian children are being denied their childhood - Europe must act

A new UN report details the devastating impact of Israel's actions on Palestinian children since October 2023, documenting mass killings and injuries, attacks on hospitals and schools, displacement, malnutrition and severe psychological trauma. The EU needs to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel, protect children and guarantee accountability for violations of international law.

The UN has found that Israel is committing genocide and deliberately targeting Palestinian children, highlighting that “the essence of childhood has been destroyed.” These are the words at the heart of a new report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The report documents grave violations affecting Palestinian children since 7 October 2023 and describes the scale of harm as devastating and long-lasting.

According to the Commission, at least 21,200 Palestinian children have been killed and more than 44,000 injured in Gaza. The report examines the impact of Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities, including long-term consequences for children and newborns; on schools and educational facilities, causing disruption to learning and academic harm; and on orphanages and facilities caring for children. It also documents the effects of displacement and siege on children’s living conditions, including preventable mortality, malnutrition, morbidity and profound mental trauma.

The Commission states that the harm suffered by children has destroyed “family ties, identity, innocence, safety and future”. It also warns that much of this harm was “not incidental”, but part of a wider pattern affecting the survival, development and future of Palestinian children.

The scale and severity of the violations described by the UN Commission is appalling. At Eurochild, we have consistently called for the European Union, including the European Commission, to play a stronger role in protecting children affected by armed conflict and in ensuring that children’s rights are central to the EU’s external action, humanitarian response and political engagement.

We continue demanding the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, due to the grave breaches of international law and children's rights in Palestine. Article 2 of the agreement mandates respect for human rights, and the EU's failure to act exposes double standards.

The international community, including the EU and its Member States, must act urgently to protect children, ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access, support independent investigations, and guarantee accountability for violations of international law.