Lead
A retired Indian judge is at the centre of a United Nations investigation that has documented the deaths of more than 20,000 Palestinian children in Gaza since October 2023. The 94-page report, published on June 23 by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, was chaired by Justice S. Muralidhar, a former judge of India's Supreme Court and former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court.
The report found that Israeli security forces killed at least 20,179 Palestinian children over two years of conflict, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all Palestinian deaths, as reported by Al Jazeera. It also documented more than 44,000 children injured and an estimated 58,000 orphaned, according to the same outlet. The findings have intensified scrutiny of Israel's military campaign and have also turned attention to India's deepening defence and business ties with Israel, given Muralidhar's background as a judge who was transferred in controversial circumstances in 2020.
Coverage Comparison
Coverage of the report has focused on two distinct angles. Al Jazeera's reporting highlighted Muralidhar's role and his personal history, including his transfer from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2020 — a move the outlet described as allegedly aimed at stopping him from acting against a politician from India's governing party. The report also drew attention to India's relationship with Israel, including arms purchases and business partnerships, with Al Jazeera noting that India has become Israel's most reliable arms buyer, purchasing 37 percent of its exports, and that the Adani Group has formed a joint venture with Israel's Elbit Systems to manufacture Hermes 900 drones.
The Hindu — World, meanwhile, focused on the report's specific findings of systematic targeting of Palestinian civilians. Its coverage quoted Muralidhar extensively, including his explanation of the root causes of the conflict, which he traced to the 1947 UN resolution and the unresolved grievances of the Palestinian people. The Hindu's framing emphasised the systematic targeting of women, children, and the elderly, and described the Israeli military's use of quadcopters, snipers, and drones to target children, as well as a blockade of humanitarian aid that led to starvation and disease.
Key Claims
The UN report's central finding — as reported by both Al Jazeera and The Hindu — is that at least 20,179 Palestinian children were killed by Israeli security forces since October 7, 2023, with 44,143 injured in the same period. The report also documented a pattern of attacks on children using quadcopters, snipers, and drones, and noted the systematic targeting of maternity and neonatal facilities, endangering newborns. A blockade of humanitarian aid, the report said, fuelled starvation and disease as immunisation rates fell.
The report concluded that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli authorities are committing genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, a claim carried by Al Jazeera. Muralidhar, in his interview with The Hindu, did not use the term "genocide" but spoke of the systematic targeting of the most vulnerable populations — women, children, and the elderly — and described Israel's actions as part of a broader pattern of territorial expansion.
Muralidhar's own assessment of the conflict, as quoted by The Hindu, places blame on Israel's vision of statehood, which he said "stands at odds with the UN resolution itself." He said Israel operates on the premise that once territories are occupied, they cannot be asked to leave. His comments provide context for the commission's mandate to examine root causes, including the Nakba and subsequent wars.
Perspectives
Justice S. Muralidhar (UN commission chair): In his interview with The Hindu, Muralidhar emphasised the root causes of the conflict, tracing them to the 1947 UN resolution and the unresolved grievances of Palestinians. He said Israel's territorial ambitions contradict the UN framework and that Israel tries to present a fait accompli on occupied land.
Al Jazeera's framing: The outlet highlighted Muralidhar's background and India's relationship with Israel, suggesting a conflict of interest or political sensitivity. It noted India's arms purchases and business ventures with Israeli companies, which contrasted with Muralidhar's role in the UN investigation.
The Hindu's framing: The newspaper focused on the humanitarian impact, detailing the deaths, injuries, and systematic targeting of civilians, with a tone sympathetic to Palestinian suffering and critical of Israeli actions.