Gaza: International doctors working in Gaza have reported a disturbing pattern of gunshot wounds among children, raising concerns of deliberate targeting, according to an investigation published by the Dutch daily de Volkskrant.

According to TRTworld.com, the newspaper spoke with 17 doctors and a nurse from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands who worked in six hospitals and four clinics in Gaza since October 2023. Many had long experience in crisis zones, including Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

Fifteen of them told de Volkskrant they treated at least 114 children aged 15 or younger with a single gunshot wound to the head or chest. Most of those children died of their wounds. The cases were documented between late 2023 and mid-2025 in 10 different medical facilities.

Doctors interviewed stressed that such wounds were unlikely to be accidental. Forensic experts consulted by the newspaper said the uniform pattern suggested aimed fire, possibly by snipers or drones.

The physicians quoted described the moral dilemma they face: speaking out could mean being barred from returning to Gaza. According to the UN, Israel has denied entry to more than 100 international health workers since March 2025 without a detailed explanation.

Still, many insist silence is no longer an option. “Not talking is not an option anymore,” one doctor told de Volkskrant. According to Save the Children, Israel has killed over 20,000 children in Gaza so far in its carnage that started in October 2023.