INTERVIEW / Genocide in Gaza, Chris Sidoti (UN): “Children are being dehumanised”

Brussels – “The essence of childhood has been destroyed.” The title of the latest report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel speaks for itself. The document, published in June 2026, acknowledges the deliberate killing of Palestinian children by Israel since 7 October 2023. It follows the September 2025 report, which stated that what Israel has committed constitutes genocide. 

As an occupying power, “Israel is legally bound to ensure the protection, care and survival of Palestinian children,” according to the Independent Commission’s analysis. “However, through the nature, scale and extent of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, the Israeli government and security forces have deliberately carried out acts inflicting death and severe bodily and mental harm on hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children, irreparably destroying the sanctity of childhood, including family ties, identity, innocence, safety and future.” Furthermore, the Commission found that “much of the harm suffered by Palestinian children was not incidental but
intended to destroy the existence of the Palestinians in Gaza as a group.” Children “embody biological and social continuity” and the Commission “has reasonable grounds to conclude that these acts form part of a deliberate strategy to
destroy the future of the Palestinians in Gaza by targeting their children.”
 

Chris Sidoti is a lawyer specialising in human rights and has been a member of the UN Independent Commission since its establishment in 2021. In an interview with Eunews, he spoke about the Commission’s work and the importance of gathering evidence for a future “attribution of responsibility.” 

Eunews: What is this report about, and what aspects has the Commission taken into account? 

Chris Sidoti: “It examines the violations and crimes committed against Palestinian children, including the serious physical and psychological harm inflicted by Israeli forces. We have analysed the number of children killed, the serious injuries sustained, and the suffering caused by the trauma of an intense and prolonged war. We have examined the repercussions of these events on Gaza: the destruction of infrastructure, the lack of drinking water, and the collapse of the health and education systems. But the report is not limited to Gaza. It also examines in depth what is happening in the West Bank, with particular attention to the operations carried out by Israeli military forces.” 

E.: What are the main forms of violence against children that you have recorded? 

C.S.: “Firstly, the deliberate and direct killing of children. We have observed this in both Gaza and the West Bank, with a significant number of children killed by Israeli snipers and drones, or during fighting between Israeli soldiers and militants from Hamas or other Palestinian groups. Intentional killing is, therefore, the primary form of violence.

 The second is the death of a very large number of children as a result of Israel’s overall military strategy. We have seen residential buildings razed to the ground, resulting in numerous deaths. Furthermore, we have seen the destruction of facilities essential to the lives and health of children: hospitals, clinics and schools have been demolished or severely damaged, and then often converted into emergency shelters for those who had lost their homes. The children of Gaza have not been attending school for three years – three whole years of formal education lost.

In the West Bank, however, we investigated cases in which children had clearly been targeted by Israeli soldiers, resulting in their deaths or very serious injuries.

 In the West Bank, we did not find evidence of hunger being used as a weapon, as is the case in Gaza, nor of the total destruction of hospitals, although there has been some damage to healthcare and educational facilities. Of course, the situation in the West Bank remains serious, and here too the number of Palestinians – including children – killed since 7 October 2023 is far higher than in the past.”

 E.: The report also mentions children’s toys. Could you tell us a bit about that?

 C.S.: “The Commission has documented numerous cases in which Israeli soldiers filmed themselves mocking and desecrating symbols of childhood in Gaza, such as toys or clothes. We have had access to a huge number of photographs and videos that these soldiers have posted online, boasting about what they were doing. It is not the same as killing them, but it is just as serious. It reflects an act of dehumanisation. Children are not perceived as human beings and are deprived of their most precious possessions, which are used as a means of humiliation. This is not a matter of individual, isolated behaviour, but something the Commission describes as a genuine military culture of degrading Palestinians as a group.” 

E.: Could you briefly explain the methodology used? Given that it is impossible to enter the Gaza Strip, how was the data collected?

 C.S.: “Not being able to physically access the areas made the work more difficult, but it did not compromise our investigations. We interviewed victims and witnesses remotely and gathered testimonies from healthcare professionals, academics, journalists, and lawyers in contact with the victims and their families. We had access to medical reports, X-rays, photographs, videos, and audio statements from patients who consented to share the information with the Commission. We consulted two independent forensic pathologists, who analysed the evidence – including CT scans, medical reports, photographs and videos – relating to children who were injured, killed, or maimed. The open-source material was collected and verified in accordance with international standards, using visual authentication, geolocation, metadata extraction and facial recognition techniques. 

We have had access to thousands of pieces of documentation, many of which were filmed and published online by Israeli soldiers themselves. We have therefore never faced a lack of evidence that would hinder our investigations.” 

E.: The Commission’s last report was published in September 2025, and then there was a ceasefire in October. Based on the data you have collected, is it correct to call it that? 

C.S.: “I’ve heard the term ‘reduced fire’ used, and it strikes me as a much more accurate description. The fighting is certainly less intense, but the killings continue. Israeli soldiers continue to fire on Palestinian civilians, including children. 

Israeli forces occupy at least 60 per cent of Gaza, and the Prime Minister has stated his intention to extend this control to 70 per cent. The total area of Gaza at the start of the latest fighting in 2023 was 365 square kilometres: if the Israelis occupy 70 per cent of that territory, it means that only 30 per cent – or around 100–110 square kilometres – remains available to two million people. This is an extremely serious situation.

 It’s not a ceasefire, it’s reduced firing. Children are still being killed, and nothing – absolutely nothing – is being done to begin the work of rebuilding Gaza, which will take decades.”

 E: Could you explain why you chose to focus this report on children?

C.S.: “The main reason, of course, is the material we have gathered over the last two and a half years, and the devastating impact this war is having on children as they grow up. 

Children are suffering enormously. Children are always the most vulnerable in conflicts, and it is not surprising that their suffering is often worse than that of adults. They are more fragile and suffer deep trauma. The number of children killed, the number of children who have lost arms or legs – these are figures that cannot be ignored. Almost 22,000 children’s bodies have been identified. This is not the total number; it is only those who have been identified. 

The situation in Gaza is not easy to deal with. But it was precisely the suffering of these children that justified the decision to devote a specific report to them. We must focus our attention on their plight.” 

E.: When the September report was published, you stated that you did not expect any change in the policies of the State of Israel, even following the publication of a report accusing it of genocide. Do you stand by this position?

C.S.: “Certainly, I have no expectation that the policies of the current Israeli government will change. Our focus is primarily on the United Nations system, individual governments, and groups of countries. Furthermore, a key issue is accountability and the attribution of responsibility. The evidence we have gathered will certainly be useful for the investigations of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.” 

E.: You mentioned groups of states. Has the European Union shown any interest in your work? Have you received any feedback?

 C.S.: “Yes, we have seen considerable interest. A few days ago, we presented the report to the Member States in Geneva and discussed its conclusions. Several delegations wanted to know what concrete actions might result from the report, and we referred them to the recommendations we had made.” 

E.: What are these recommendations?

C.S.: “Coordinated action is needed on the part of individual states and groups of states. Firstly, all supplies of arms and military equipment to Israel must be halted, and targeted sanctions must be imposed against Israeli ministers, officials and military personnel responsible for violence against children. States must also arrest Israeli officials subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court and hand them over to the ICC. Investigations must be carried out into Israelis – including those with dual or multiple nationalities – suspected of having committed unlawful acts of violence against Palestinian children. The siege of Gaza must be ended, and unhindered humanitarian access guaranteed. Finally, political solutions based on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination must be supported, whilst also giving children a voice.”