New Delhi: July 29, 2026: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply condemned a headline quoting opposition leader Yair Golan as saying that “Israel kills children as a hobby,” calling it “an absolute lie” that inflicted “terrible damage to our just struggle and to our heroic fighters.”
The controversy stems from remarks Golan, a former Israel Defence Forces (IDF) deputy chief of staff and leader of The Democrats party, made during a May 2025 radio interview criticising the Israeli government’s conduct of the war in Gaza. He warned that “a sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not set itself the aim of expelling populations.” Golan later clarified that he was criticising the political leadership and the rhetoric of certain ministers, not the IDF. Asked directly whether he believed Israeli soldiers killed babies “as a hobby” or for sport, he replied, “Certainly not.”
The renewed political clash comes as international investigations continue to examine the humanitarian toll of the Gaza war. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, along with other UN bodies, human rights organisations, and international medical teams, has documented numerous incidents involving Palestinian children. The Commission has reported that more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and over 44,000 injured during the conflict, while also alleging that some specific incidents may amount to war crimes or unlawful use of lethal force.
Among the most widely cited cases is that of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed after becoming trapped inside a vehicle with relatives. The ambulance crew dispatched to rescue her was also killed. UN investigators have cited the incident as one requiring accountability. The Commission has also reported cases of children allegedly shot by sniper or drone fire, including dozens who sustained single precision wounds to the head or upper torso. Other documented allegations include the death of a 10-day-old infant reportedly struck by precision fire inside a tent, and incidents in which children were allegedly shot while carrying white evacuation flags.
International doctors who served in Gaza have testified before investigators that they treated large numbers of children with isolated gunshot wounds to the head and chest, arguing that the recurring injury patterns warranted independent forensic examination. Former Israeli soldiers interviewed by the veterans’ group Breaking the Silence have also described broad rules of engagement that they say contributed to civilian deaths, including those of children.
Israel strongly rejects allegations that it deliberately targets civilians or children. It maintains that Hamas operates from densely populated civilian areas, that the IDF acts in accordance with international law, and that many international reports rely on flawed methodology or incomplete evidence. The competing narratives now sit at the heart of an expanding legal, political, and moral debate that continues to draw global attention.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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