Israeli forces kill 490 Palestinian children in 20 days in Gaza

Gaza media office accuses Israel of genocide and targeting civilians, mostly children.

A boy stands nearby as residents work to rescue Palestinians trapped beneath the rubble of a four-story house belonging to the Garab family, following an Israeli airstrike on Akile Street in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on April 7, 2025. Photo by Moiz Salhi/Anadolu

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Israeli forces kill 490 Palestinian children in 20 days in Gaza, according to an official statement released on Sunday, April 6, by the Gaza Government Media Office. The office described the mass child deaths as a horrifying chapter in what it calls an ongoing genocide being waged against civilians in the Palestinian enclave. These numbers reflect not just the tragic scale of the violence, but also the systematic nature of Israel’s military operations targeting non-combatants, particularly children.

The Gaza Government Media Office minced no words in its condemnation. In a statement shared with international press, it accused Israel of committing “one of the most horrific crimes against humanity in the modern era.” The statement went on to assert that the Israeli military was deliberately and systematically targeting children, in violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.

A deliberate policy of targeting children

In its strongly worded statement, the Gaza Government Media Office emphasized that the high number of child casualties was not incidental, but rather part of a “deliberate policy of murder.” According to the media office, Israel’s justification that civilian deaths are collateral damage in broader military operations “is a lie meant to conceal the truth.”

“Over the past twenty days, Israel has committed a shocking act of genocide against children, with 490 children killed in a series of barbaric attacks,” the statement declared. It added that the overall death toll in Gaza during the same period had risen to 1,350 people, many of whom were women and other unarmed civilians.

Witnesses from within the Gaza Strip have described horrifying scenes—destroyed schools, hospitals overwhelmed by child casualties, and entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble. Local health officials say the toll has strained Gaza’s already limited medical infrastructure, with pediatric units functioning beyond capacity, often without adequate medical supplies or electricity.

Escalating aggression and international alarm

The killings are part of a broader escalation by Israel in the Gaza Strip, coming as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed last weekend to intensify the attacks. His comments followed reports of continued support from the United States for a controversial population relocation plan backed by then-President Donald Trump, which critics say is aimed at forcibly removing Palestinians from their homeland.

Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, the cumulative death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza has exceeded 50,700, according to the latest data from Gaza-based authorities. The vast majority of victims, officials say, are women and children—those least able to flee or defend themselves in the face of relentless airstrikes and ground assaults.

The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over the situation, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians, especially children. UNICEF has issued multiple emergency alerts, warning that Gaza has become “the most dangerous place in the world to be a child.”

Israel faces international legal challenges

The recent child deaths are also intensifying scrutiny of Israel’s actions on the international stage. In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges include war crimes and crimes against humanity related to military operations in Gaza.

Separately, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a genocide lawsuit filed against Israel over its prolonged aggression in Gaza. Legal experts say the systematic killing of children could be among the strongest evidence presented in the case, especially given the public and documented nature of the incidents.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have also weighed in. In a joint statement last week, both groups condemned Israel’s military campaign, citing “an alarming pattern of attacks on densely populated civilian areas.” They called for international accountability and stronger diplomatic efforts to prevent further loss of life.

Global protests and rising outrage

The global reaction to these events has been swift. Mass protests have erupted in cities across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. In London, tens of thousands gathered outside the Israeli Embassy, waving Palestinian flags and demanding justice for the children of Gaza. Similar scenes played out in Berlin, Paris, New York, Johannesburg, and Jakarta.

On social media, images of lifeless children wrapped in white burial cloths have gone viral, accompanied by hashtags like #GazaGenocide and #SaveGazaChildren. Prominent public figures—from authors and academics to celebrities and athletes—have joined the call for international action to end the violence.

“We cannot turn our heads away while children are being bombed in their sleep,” said Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai in a statement. “The world must wake up to this tragedy before it is too late.”

Calls for an immediate ceasefire

As the death toll continues to rise, international humanitarian agencies and human rights bodies are urging for an immediate ceasefire. The Gaza Government Media Office has also renewed its plea to the international community, calling for emergency interventions to protect civilians and prevent further bloodshed.

“This genocide must stop now,” the office said in its latest statement. “Every day of silence from the world allows more children to die. History will remember those who stood by—and those who stood up.”

As Israeli forces kill 490 Palestinian children in 20 days in Gaza, the world faces a defining moral challenge. With every passing day, more lives are lost and a fragile region edges closer to irreversible tragedy. Whether the international community will rise to meet this moment remains to be seen—but for the people of Gaza, especially its children, time is running out.