Israel's UN ambassador is "appalled" that the Israeli military will be listed on a forthcoming UN list of countries and armed forces that fail to protect children during war.
"I am completely shocked and appalled by this scandalous decision," says Gilad Erdan in a statement.
"Israel's military is the most moral in the world and you know it. This is an immoral decision that only supports terrorism and rewards Hamas," he adds.
Even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comments on the reports, and writes on X that the UN "blacklisted itself" when it accepted Hamas's absurd claims.
The report, from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, deals with children and armed conflicts and has not yet been published. Erdan's response comes after he was informed that Israel will be listed on the list of countries that do not take sufficient measures to protect children from conflicts.
A source tells AFP that also the terrorist-designated Hamas and Islamic Jihad will be listed.
UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour, appointed by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, says it's a "important step" that Israel will be written up on the list.
Louis Charbonneau from human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) calls Israel's inclusion "justified, even if it should have happened a long time ago."
During a Hamas-coordinated attack on Israel on October 7, around 1,200 people were killed and over 200 were taken as hostages.
Since the Gaza War broke out, more than 36,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.
