A United Nations report released on June 20, 2025, found that 2024 was the most devastating year for children in armed conflict in two decades. The UN verified 41,370 grave violations against children, a 25% increase over the previous record set in 2023. The highest numbers of abuses were documented in Israel/Palestine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti.
Government forces were responsible for the majority of killings and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian aid. Non-state armed groups were responsible for approximately half of all recorded abuses, which also include abduction, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers. Of the 8,554 violations documented in Israel/Palestine, the report attributed nearly 85% to Israeli forces.
Source: HRW