The draft of the UN’s annual report on children in conflict zones, expected to be published in June 2025, continues to demonstrate imbalance and an anti-Israel tone. The report, for example, ignores the youngest Israeli victims of the war — failing to mention the names of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who were murdered in captivity in Gaza and whose bodies were returned in the last hostage deal. Additionally, the 12 children killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Majdal Shams are not mentioned at all.
The report inflates figures, includes unverified information, and blurs the responsibility of terror organizations for causing harm to children. The draft was shared with Israel for its comments, but Jerusalem was shocked by the UN’s insensitivity and hypocrisy and decided not to cooperate with the report. Among other accusations, the report blames the IDF for using exactly 27 Palestinian children as “human shields,” yet it only vaguely mentions Hamas’ systematic use of civilians as human shields, without verifying specific cases.
June 2025, when the report is scheduled for release, is almost three months away. That’s more than enough time to revise the report with missing information and verified facts. We suggest the UN do the right thing and revise the report immediately.