Who Is Justice S. Muralidhar, the Chair of the Three-Member UN International Commission of Inquiry That Released the Ground-breaking Gaza Report on Palestinian Children?

Key Points:

ON JUNE 23, 2026, a 100-page document was submitted by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry. The document concluded that military operations in the Gaza Strip had deliberately targeted Palestinian children, resulting in a rising number of deaths and casualties. The international commission of inquiry was reportedly headed by Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar.

The report has been regarded as a vital contribution to the allegations of children being targeted by Israeli forces. The commission is mandated to investigate the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel. The Israeli government has dismissed all allegations of targeting Palestinian children. However, the UN report headed by Justice Muralidhar claimed that its findings indicate severe war crimes and other atrocities committed by Israeli forces. 

What did the UN report on Gaza say?

The UN Gaza report stated that between October 7, 2023, and October 7, 2025, more than 20,000 Palestinian children lost their lives. According to the commission, the report singled out several instances indicating the deliberate targeting of Palestinian children, citing the example of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl who was allegedly shot by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) while she was evacuating.

Muralidhar noted that the attacks took the form of massive airstrikes targeting densely populated areas or the use of advanced precision weapons.

The UN report read, “By targeting children, Israel is eroding the foundational structure of Palestinian society.” It further added that the attacks weaken the “demographic vitality and overall capacity of the Palestinian people to sustain and exercise its right to determine its future as a people.” 

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Indian Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X to praise the Justice Muralidhar-headed UN report on Israel’s alleged crimes against humanity. He wrote, “A judge honoured globally for speaking truth to power and defending human rights was hounded and transferred by the RSS-BJP regime because he became too inconvenient at home.”

Who is Justice S. Muralidhar?

Srinivasan Muralidhar is a well-renowned Indian lawyer who has served as a jurist for decades. Justice Muralidhar served as the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court and also as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Delhi High Court. He began his legal career in 1984 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 

He was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court in 2006 and served there for 14 years. Justice Muralidhar gained widespread attention during the 2020 Delhi riots after holding an emergency hearing at his official residence. India's capital witnessed intense riots in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). During the riots, 53 people were killed and more than 700 others were injured in parts of northeast Delhi. 

According to reports, Muralidhar's decision to hold a midnight hearing to ensure the safe passage of injured persons for medical treatment was widely commended by several people.

Reports also state that he conducted hearings into the Delhi Police's alleged lack of action during the 2020 Delhi riots, after which he was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The timing of the transfer order sparked widespread backlash, with the Delhi High Court Bar Association staging a strike in protest against Justice Muralidhar's immediate transfer. 

Several Congress leaders accused the central government of transferring Justice Muralidhar after he pointed out the Delhi Police's alleged inaction in registering cases against BJP leaders over hate speech. 

In 2025, the president of the Human Rights Council appointed three members to chair the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry. The members were Srinivasan Muralidhar from India, Florence Mumba from Zambia and Chris Sidoti from Australia. 

(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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