Israel Committing War Crimes by Targeting Children Deliberately: Iran’s UN Envoy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Israeli regime is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in a flagrant violation of international law through the intentional targeting of children and civilians, an Iranian representative to the United Nations said.
Addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on “Children and Armed Conflict”, held in New York on June 26, the first councilor and representative of Iran to the UN said the Zionist regime is fully responsible for the serious violations of human rights in Palestine and must be held accountable.
What follows is the full text of the statement by Sattar Ahmadi:
“In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this important annual open debate. I also thank the briefers for their contributions.
Mr. President,
International humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, protects civilians and children during armed conflicts. Several UN resolutions also emphasize this protection. However, children suffer disproportionately from the impacts of war, with increasing reports of grave violations.
The recent report by the Secretary-General (A/78/842-S/2024/384) indicates a 21% increase in grave violations against children in conflict zones, with a 35% rise in killing and maiming.
The Middle East remains a tragic witness to the appalling violation of children's rights, from Afghanistan and Yemen to Palestine.
The situation in Gaza, particularly the targeting of Palestinian children, is deeply troubling within the broader context of the ongoing genocidal war of Israel against the Palestinian people.
For over nine months, Israel, the occupying regime, has started a genocidal war and military aggression against defenseless Palestinian people flagrantly violating all international legal rules, principles, and norms, including international humanitarian law and human rights law.
This regime brazenly employs every possible means to decimate civilians, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare, the indiscriminate targeting of women and children, the deliberate assault on vital civilian infrastructure especially schools, hospitals, and residential areas, and obstructing the provision of essential humanitarian aid and services to civilians in direct violation of Security Council resolutions.
According to the SG report, Israel is responsible for 5,698 violations, including the killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals.
The Secretary-General placed the Israeli armed forces on the list of grave violations against children in armed conflicts.
Since the start of Israeli aggression against Palestinians in October of last year, an estimated 13,450 children have been killed in Gaza, and thousands more have been injured.
Meanwhile, the number of children suffering from severe malnutrition continues to rise sharply as access to adequate food and safe water dwindles.
Through the intentional targeting of children and civilians, Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in a flagrant violation of basic norms and principles of international law.
Israel continues to violate Security Council resolutions. These resolutions demand that Israel, the occupying regime, comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, notably concerning the protection of civilians, and allow for full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the entire Gaza Strip.
This regime is fully responsible for these serious violations and must be held accountable. Accountability of Israel is necessary to deter future violations and ensure justice for victims.
Mr. President,
The international community must prioritize the protection of children in armed conflicts. Regardless of the circumstances, their rights, safety, and well-being must always be safeguarded.
This requires the full and effective compliance of all conflicting parties with international humanitarian law.
Equally imperative is addressing the root causes of conflicts. Tackling issues such as poverty and limited access to quality education and employment opportunities is crucial in mitigating such grave violations.
Additionally, illegal unilateral sanctions can exacerbate the plight of children in conflict-affected areas and must be addressed.
I thank you."