UN adds Israeli army to blacklist

In the "Children and Armed Conflict Report," which contains 2023 data and has not yet been made public by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, it is stated that violence against children in conflicts reached horrific levels in 2023, noting that "grave violations against children in conflicts increased by 21 percent in 2023."

Emphasizing that incidents leading to the death and injury of children increased by 35 percent compared to the previous year, the report stated, "32,990 grave violations against children were recorded in 2023."

According to the records in the report, it was reported that in 2023, 5,301 children were killed, 6,348 children were injured, 8,655 children were recruited into armed groups, 5,205 children were denied access to humanitarian aid, 2,491 children were detained due to links with armed groups, and 4,356 children were abducted.

ISRAELI ARMY ON THE LIST FOR THE FIRST TIME

The report noted that in line with recent developments in Gaza, grave violations against children in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories increased by 155 percent, with 8,009 cases of grave violations recorded in this context. While these violations were committed against 4,360 children, it was pointed out that 113 of these were Israeli children and 4,247 were Palestinian children.

The report stated that 7,837 violations were committed against 4,247 Palestinian children in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and that these violations were carried out by the Israeli army and Israeli settlers.

The report underlined that the Israeli army and security forces were responsible for 5,698 of these violations.

The report stated that Israel detained 906 Palestinian children, and that the UN had received information that children were subjected to ill-treatment and sexual abuse.

The report also noted that the Israeli army prevented children's access to humanitarian aid in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

It was pointed out that in addition to the Israeli army and security forces, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, were also added to the list, noting that this data belongs to 2023 and that the situation has worsened further in the recent period.

The report stated that 23,000 grave violations are awaiting verification due to the situation in Gaza in the last quarter of 2023.

The report also included the assessments of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Accordingly, Guterres stated, "I am appalled by the number of children killed and injured by the Israeli army and security forces in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The death and destruction caused by the Israeli army's military operation in Gaza is at an unprecedented level."

PLACES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS

The report listed Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Nigeria, and Sudan as the places where violations against children in conflicts are most intense, stating that 3,764 grave violations occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2,799 in Myanmar, 2,283 in Somalia, 1,995 in Nigeria, and 1,721 in Sudan.

The report announced that while Russian security forces remain on the list due to violations in Ukraine, 938 cases of grave violations were recorded in Ukraine.

Pointing out that non-state actors are responsible for 50 percent of grave violations, the report drew attention to the fact that state forces play the biggest role in the death and injury of children.

The report emphasized that boys are recruited into armed groups, killed, and injured at higher rates, while girls are subjected to sexual violence at higher rates.