The United Nations has again blacklisted Israel’s armed and security forces for the third consecutive year, citing grave human rights violations against children in armed conflicts. The decision, detailed in a UN report released in 2026, found that in 2025 the number of serious violations against children worldwide reached a record high, with the largest share occurring in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

According to the report, the UN verified 38,558 serious violations in 2025, affecting tens of thousands of boys and girls. Israel’s government topped the list of countries accused of such violations, followed by Russia. The report noted that child casualties rose by 34 percent in deaths and 10 percent in injuries compared to the previous year, with 12,445 incidents recorded in Israel and the occupied territories alone. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep shock and concern over the scale of violations in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.

The report marks the first time in the 30-year history of the UN’s children and armed conflict mandate that a government force has been identified as a leading perpetrator of grave violations against children.