Guterres threatens to blacklist settlers for escalating violations

WASHINGTON, June 18 (YPA) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of the possibility of adding settler groups to the UN blacklist for violations against children, expressing concern over the sharp rise in violations against Palestinian children.

The UN’s annual report on “Children and Armed Conflict” recorded the killing of 2,668 children in the Gaza Strip and 57 in the West Bank during 2025.

The report noted 38,558 grave violations worldwide affecting 24,174 children, the highest number since the “Commission on Children and Armed Conflict” began its mandate in 1996. It showed that 14224 children were killed or maimed, a 34% increase over 2024, including 6266 deaths.

A UN official stated that the highest rates of violations were recorded in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Somalia.

Israel remains on the annex to the “list of shame” in the report due to violations, while the current edition highlighted settlers for the first time as candidates for future inclusion.

Guterres said: “I am appalled by the scale of grave violations against children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, particularly the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas.”

“I am deeply concerned about the alarming rise in settler attacks that result in grave violations against Palestinian children,” he added.

He also explained that settler groups will be included on the list if the large number of violations is repeated during 2026.

According to the report, 9,465 grave violations were attributed to the occupation army and 326 to settlers. The report defines grave violations as the killing and maiming of children, rape and sexual violence, and attacks on schools and hospitals.