A United Nations committee on Thursday condemned Israel for “severe” violations of an international treaty aimed at safeguarding children’s rights, asserting that its military operations in Gaza have had a “catastrophic” effect on children and represent some of the most significant breaches in recent history.

Since the onset of Israel’s military campaign in response to Hamas’s cross-border attacks on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 fatalities and 250 hostages, over 41,000 individuals have lost their lives in Gaza. Palestinian health officials reported earlier this week that among the deceased, 11,355 are children, based solely on verified death records.

“The shocking loss of children’s lives is nearly unprecedented. We are witnessing an extremely dark chapter in history,” stated Bragi Gudbrandsson, Vice Chair of the Committee, during a press briefing. “The scale of the violations we are observing in Gaza is unparalleled. These are profoundly serious breaches that are rarely encountered,” he added.

Israel’s representatives contended during a series of U.N. hearings earlier this month that the treaty is not applicable in Gaza or the West Bank, asserting their commitment to upholding international humanitarian law. They stated that their military operations in Gaza are focused on dismantling the Hamas leadership in the Palestinian enclave, emphasizing that civilians are not the targets, although they claim that militants are often concealed among them, a point that Hamas disputes.

The four-member U.N. Committee is responsible for overseeing compliance with the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, a widely recognized treaty designed to safeguard individuals under the age of 18 from violence and various forms of abuse.