UN Warns Israeli Settler Groups Could Be Added to Child Rights Blacklist

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Israeli settler groups could be added to the UN’s global blacklist for violations against children if the current trend of abuses against Palestinian minors continues into 2026. The warning comes as the UN reported a record number of child rights violations in conflict zones worldwide.

According to the UN’s annual Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) report, 38,558 grave violations against children were documented in 2025, affecting 24,174 children—the highest figure recorded since monitoring began in 1996. The report found that 14,224 children were killed or injured, with child fatalities rising 34% from the previous year to 6,266.

The Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel recorded the highest number of violations globally, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Somalia. The UN verified the deaths of 2,668 Palestinian children in Gaza and 57 in the West Bank during the reporting period.

Guterres expressed deep concern over what he described as a “staggering” increase in attacks by Israeli settlers that resulted in serious violations against Palestinian children. The report attributed 9,465 grave violations to Israeli security forces and 326 to Israeli settlers. Grave violations under UN criteria include killing and maiming children, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and other severe abuses.

The Gaza conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel that killed approximately 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities. Israel’s subsequent military operation in Gaza has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths.

The report also continues to list Hamas’ armed wing and affiliated groups on the UN blacklist, attributing 2,806 violations to Palestinian armed factions, including child killings, injuries, and abductions.

Additionally, Guterres raised concerns about the detention of Palestinian children by Israel, citing reports of physical abuse and poor detention conditions that could amount to degrading or inhumane treatment. While inclusion on a UN blacklist does not automatically result in sanctions, it can significantly damage international reputation and requires parties to negotiate corrective action plans for removal.