First Thing: Israel continues to commit genocide by targeting children in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

By Jem Bartholomew • June 24, 2026 • US news

Palestinian children ‘deliberately targeted and killed’, report’s chair says. Plus, Mamdani-backed candidates sweep NYC Democratic primaries

Good morning. Israel continues to commit genocide by deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, an ⁠independent UN inquiry has found. The report by the UN independent international commission of inquiry examined violations against Palestinian children since the start of the war in Gaza, and said about 30% of the people killed by Israeli forces have been children. A previous report by the commission in September found Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and that Israeli officials, including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, incited these acts. Netanyahu is separately wanted by the international criminal court for war crimes. What does the report say? That Palestinian children were deliberately targeted and killed during the ‌war, including after a ceasefire came into effect ‌in October 2025. “The evidence shows that Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted and killed by the Israeli security forces,” Srinivasan Muralidhar, the commission’s chair, said in a statement accompanying the report. How has Israel’s government reacted? The Israeli mission in Geneva said Israel rejected the commission’s “libellous sham”. The country has fought hard against allegations of genocide, while receiving critical diplomatic support from its allies including the US and the UK. What about legal and rights experts? A significant body of research has concluded that Israel is intent on destroying Palestinians, including analyses by UN investigators, rights bodies such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and genocide scholars worldwide. Mamdani-backed candidates sweep Democratic primaries in New York City Zohran Mamdani’s growing influence over the Democratic party was on show in New York City on Tuesday as three congressional candidates endorsed by the mayor won closely watched primaries. It was a clean sweep for Mamdani, who waded into the House primaries earlier this year, spending his political capital to bolster three leftwing allies. With his slate of candidates all but certain to be elected to Congress in November, New York City’s democratic socialist mayor has left his stamp on the state’s congressional delegation and expanded his ascendant progressive movement. Which Mamdani allies won their primaries? Brad Lander, a former New York City comptroller, defeated the Democratic representative Dan Goldman; Claire Valdez, a state lawmaker and former union organizer, defeated Antonio Reynoso, the preferred successor of Nydia Velázquez, who is retiring; and Darializa Avila Chevalier, a public defense investigator, toppled Adriano Espaillat, the powerful five-term incumbent who chairs the congressional Hispanic caucus. Senate passes war powers resolution challenging Trump’s Iran war authority The Senate approved a war powers resolution preventing Donald Trump from continuing hostilities against Iran. In a significant but symbolic rebuke over a conflict that has proven unpopular with the US public, resolution passed by a 50-48 vote. Four Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky – broke with their party to support its adoption, while John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the sole Democrat to vote against the resolution. What does it mean in practice? The measure, which passed the House of Representatives earlier this month, would require the president to seek Congress’s authorization to use military force against Iran. The resolution does not require the president’s signature, and Trump and his Republican allies have questioned the constitutionality of the 1973 War Powers Act under which it was passed. But it still highlights growing discontent among some Republicans over the conflict. In other news … A group of Texas protesters convicted of terrorism charges received unusually harsh sentences of at least 50 years in prison on Tuesday, in a test case of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on dissent. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said no country would be allowed to charge tolls for shipping in the strait of Hormuz as he arrived in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to meet Gulf allies. Eight Americans quarantined for six weeks in Nebraska were released on Monday, after they were exposed to a deadly hantavirus outbreak. Kenya’s health minister told a court he had ordered preparations for a US-run Ebola quarantine facility to stop, after being held in contempt for ignoring a previous order to end the work. Stat of the day: Trump’s botched reflecting pool becomes 2,028ft metaphor Donald Trump claimed he would beautify the Lincoln ⁠Memorial reflecting pool. But after a $14.7m renovation, on Monday a massive algae bloom turned it green. “It also stank,” David Smith writes from Washington. “Narcissus was cursed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water,” he writes, while Trump is finding the pool becoming “a 2,028ft national metaphor”. Wellness Wednesday: The adults using sticker charts for motivation “Last year, my ability to self-motivate became so poor that I also started using sticker charts,” Amelia Tait writes. That made her curious about reporting on the effectiveness of such methods. According to “goal-setting theory,” goals that are specific, proximal (that is, shorter-term) and challenging can be especially motivating, one expert tells her. Don’t miss this: How one scientist convinced the US legal system you can see violence in the brain A scientist successfully argued he could scan prisoners’ brains for signs of evil. Did his disputed evidence put a man on death row? Sarah Hopkins investigates the controversial process known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that is being used to search for signs of psychopathy. Climate check: ‘London is cooking,’ says UN chief as Europe endures scorching heatwave The UN secretary general, António Guterres, described London as “cooking” this week – as much of Europe swelters in a heatwave. This week, France experienced its hottest night since measurements began in 1947, and nearly all of Spain was under a heat alert on Tuesday. Temperatures could hit 104F on Wednesday and Thursday in England and Wales. Last Thing: George Orwell’s best books – ranked! George Orwell’s books range from his early non-fiction reportage – Down and Out in Paris and London and The Road to Wigan Pier – to his famous novels – Animal Farm and 1984 – but there are also some hidden gems and countless sharp essays. Dorian Lynskey ranks Orwell’s works. Sign up First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now. Get in touch If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email [email protected]

Source: The Guardian