The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed

A new UN Commission of Inquiry report examines the impact of Israel's war on Palestinian children since 7 October 2023. Titled The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed, the report says more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and at least 44,000 injured. The Commission says its investigation builds on its September 2025 findings, which concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, and finds that the targeting and killing of children forms part of that broader campaign. It also documents the destruction of schools, hospitals, water systems, food distribution networks, and maternal healthcare, along with allegations of violence, arbitrary detention, and abuse of Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Joining us today on this episode of Arab Talk is Chris Sidoti, human rights lawyer and Commissioner on the UN Human Rights Council's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.