The newest findings from the United Nations'Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, have brought international attention to the catastrophic effects Israeli military and settlers have had on Palestinian people. The findings from the report which was released in October 2026 show grave concerns regarding allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity and systematic persecution against Palestinian children.

The findings of this report have revealed how Palestinian children have suffered horrific crimes in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces have been found to intentionally kill Palestinian children and cause them severe harm due to their being Palestinian children. The issues that these highlights include how we can protect our civilians and how our military can act.

Within the time frame of between 7th October 2023 and 30th September 2026, 1080 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank. This includes at least 237 boys and 7 girls. In this time, 10940 people have been injured.

This shows how many people have been affected. However, the situations that have occurred have been extremely disturbing. The report stated that a 7-month-old Palestinian baby was killed in Hebron on the 5th June 2026. On the 15th March 2026, Israeli forces were found to have killed both parents and their 2 youngest sons whilst they were in a car with their 6-member family in Tammun. The 2 remaining sons were injured and abused by soldiers.

This shows how we cannot ignore protecting civilians in armed conflict. Children have a right to protection under international humanitarian law. They cannot be seen as disposable and we cannot ignore the fact they have been killed and injured. We need to investigate these cases.

The findings from the commission have caused concern. Since October 2023, Israeli military and settlers have caused the Palestinian people to live in constant fear. It has become common place for them to be displaced and unable to move around freely. When violence becomes regular and civilians are constantly at risk, this causes numerous problems. Families will lose their homes; children won’t be able to go to school and basic living conditions will struggle.

The report has highlighted that age-based persecution has occurred. The commission has concluded that Israeli authorities and forces have committed crimes against humanity by persecuting Palestinian children due to their age in the occupied West Bank. This shows how we need to look at the bigger picture and not just individual cases. These cases need to be taken seriously and investigated legally.

The situation in Gaza has worsened this. Although there may be a ceasefire, this does not guarantee that civilians will be protected. The report said that genocidal acts have still occurred in Gaza. The Israeli forces have increased their land control to at least 60% from roughly 53% by September 2026. Civilians are still being killed and injured close to the so called Yellow Line.

The report has also given statistics showing over 1431 people have been killed by Israeli attacks including at least 300 children. 5026 people have been injured. This shows how the humanitarian crisis is far from over. We need to ensure that civilians are protected during the ceasefire. Ensure that they can receive humanitarian aid and that we do not allow any further deaths.

Legally, international humanitarian law states that you must identify civilians and combatants. You must not intentionally attack any civilians. You must also take precautions to avoid harming civilians. If serious violations occur then this could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. These allegations must be investigated by independent investigators and those responsible must face justice.

The international community must ensure that our political alliances do not dictate whether we follow international law. We cannot simply state that we are concerned. We must support independent investigation, work with international justice and use any methods we have to ensure they follow international law.

We cannot allow the violence against Palestinians to become normalised. We cannot allow the deaths of civilians to become a regular headline. Every child that has died has their life stolen from them, their family have been destroyed. By allowing this to become normalised it undermines the principles that international humanitarian law was created for.

Overall, this report is a reminder that we cannot achieve peace if we do not hold people accountable. We need to ensure that civilians are protected in order to create sustainable security. We must ensure that basic human rights are respected and that we hold people accountable for any violations. Palestinian children deserve to be protected, respected and given opportunities.

The international community must do more than express concern. We must ensure that no further atrocities happen. We must ensure that humanitarian aid can be given and that justice is served. We cannot allow justice to be delayed for Palestinians. If we allow serious violations to continue to happen with no real consequences then this undermines international law. It sends a dangerous message that some lives are less important.