UN investigation finds Israel deliberately targeting Palestinian children to destroy biological continuity of Gaza —— A UN-backed independent inquiry has charged Israeli authorities with deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian children as a central component of an ongoing genocide in Gaza. The follow-up report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that the systemic killing, maiming, and starvation of minors establish the "genocidal intent" of Israeli security forces to erode the foundational structure of Palestinian society. The report highlights that even following the October 2025 'ceasefire,' Palestinian children continue to be killed and seriously injured by gunfire, airstrikes, and quadcopter drones. The investigative team stated that the relentless military operations have effectively "erased childhood" in Gaza through mass trauma, forced displacement, and a severe orphan crisis. Commission chair Judge Srinivasan Muralidhar noted that by targeting the youngest demographic, Israel is actively attacking the Palestinian people's capacity to exist and determine their own future. According to data cited in the inquiry, at least 20,179 children were killed and over 44,000 injured during the first two years of the genocide alone, making lifetime disability a defining demographic reality for Gaza’s next generation. The commission also documented a sharp increase in Israeli settler violence against children in the occupied West Bank, listing specific military divisions and brigades potentially responsible for these actions. The investigators have urged all UN member states to enforce immediate accountability for the documented war crimes and crimes against humanity.