Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong disapproval over Israel’s impending inclusion on a UN list that accuses countries and armed forces of failing to protect children in war. Netanyahu condemned the UN’s decision on his social media account, stating, “The UN put itself today on history’s blacklist when it adopted the absurd claims of Hamas.”
The controversy arises from the upcoming annual “Children and Armed Conflict” report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, scheduled for release on June 18. The report’s findings have already been privately shared, prompting Israel’s UN ambassador, Gilad Erdan, to react with outrage. “I am utterly shocked and disgusted by this shameful decision,” Erdan said in a statement.
Netanyahu defended the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), calling it “the most moral military in the world,” and criticized the UN’s decision as misguided and influenced by false claims from Hamas.
In contrast, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, Riyad Mansour, welcomed Israel’s inclusion on the “list of shame,” viewing it as a step towards accountability. “It is an important step in the right direction towards ending the double standards and the culture of impunity Israel has enjoyed for far too long,” Mansour said.
A diplomatic source revealed that Hamas and another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, will also be included on the list. Erdan harshly criticized Guterres, stating, “The only one who is blacklisted today is the secretary-general.” He warned that the decision might encourage Hamas to continue using civilian areas for military purposes.
The inclusion of Israel comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza, which has seen heavy casualties since Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel. According to Israeli figures, 1,194 people, mostly civilians, were killed. In retaliation, Israel’s offensive has resulted in at least 36,731 deaths in Gaza, with 15,000 of them minors, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with restricted aid leading to severe shortages of clean water, food, medicines, and fuel. The World Health Organization recently reported that over 80% of children in Gaza had gone a full day without eating at least once in 72 hours. According to the Hamas government media office, at least 32 people, many of them children, have died of malnutrition since the conflict began.
Much of the violence has taken place in densely populated areas. The Israeli military claims Hamas uses these areas for military purposes, complicating the situation. In one recent incident, an Israeli air strike on a UN-run school in Gaza reportedly killed 17 militants, while the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital reported at least 37 civilian deaths.
The UN report, which addresses human rights violations against children in around 20 conflict zones, has included entities like Russia’s military in the past. Rights groups have long advocated for Israel’s inclusion, and in 2022, the UN warned that Israel would need to show improvements to avoid being added to the list. Human Rights Watch’s Louis Charbonneau called Israel’s inclusion “thoroughly justified, albeit long overdue,” highlighting ongoing calls for accountability for both Israeli and Palestinian armed groups.
