UN blacklists Israeli occupation for harming children in conflict zones

The United Nations has added Israeli to a global blacklist of those failing to protect children in conflict zones. In a press briefing, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said that the UN Chief of Staff, Courtenay Rattray, called the Permanent Representative of Israel, Gilad Erdan and informed him that Israel will be put the blacklist of the UN Children and Armed Conflicts report of 2024. "The call was a courtesy afforded to countries that are newly listed on the annex of the report. It is done to give those countries a heads-up and avoid leaks," Dujarric stated. He criticized the Israeli Ambassador Erdan's video recording of that phone call and the partial release of that recording on twitter. "It is shocking and unacceptable and, frankly, something that I've never seen in my 24 years serving this Organization," he said. The UN official pointed out that the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict is due to go to the Security Council on 14 June. "As per usual practice, an advance copy will be delivered to Security Council members on that date. The report will be officially published on 18 June, with a press conference by Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General's Special Representative on the issue," he pointed out. Dujarric added that the report will then be discussed in an open debate that will take place on 26 June. "And just to remind you about the context of the report, this is an initiative of Member States - more specifically of Security Council Members - who have tasked Secretaries-General to report annually on this, based on a well-established methodology," he clarified. At least 36,731 people have been killed, including more than 15,500 children, and 83,530 others were wounded in Israel's war on Gaza since October 7. At least 77 people have been killed and 221 were wounded in the enclave during the latest 24-hour reporting period. Source: Kuwait News Agency