Explosive Threats to Children: A Technological Imperative for Accountability

The statistics are stark: between 2020 and 2025, more than 12,000 children were killed or injured by explosives, with an average of five per day. This trend is not merely a numbers game; it reveals a disturbing shift in modern warfare, where advanced technologies are increasingly used to disregard civilian lives.

The proliferation of drones and artificial intelligence has fundamentally altered the nature of combat. Gone are the days when soldiers had to expose themselves to danger; instead, these machines can gather intel and drop explosives from a safe distance. The consequences are devastating: children playing outside schools in Gaza, health workers tending to wounded civilians by phone light, and families shattered by the loss of loved ones.

Gaza has become a testing ground for this new phase of modern warfare. Drone surveillance, AI-supported targeting, and unmanned systems have created an environment where civilians are increasingly vulnerable. The use of technology has accelerated the time it takes to identify targets from tens of minutes to mere seconds – a supposed precision that belies its true nature: a cold calculation prioritizing speed over human life.

The consequences of this shift extend far beyond Gaza or Ukraine, where child casualties have reached unprecedented levels. They are also being felt in Sudan, where drone attacks have become the norm, and in Iran, where the use of AI in targeted killings has raised serious questions about accountability. The United States is implicated in these developments – a report by the UN’s top human rights body found “reasonable grounds” to believe that US officials committed war crimes using AI-powered targeting systems.

Governments and militaries are increasingly relying on technologies that prioritize efficiency over humanity, raising fundamental questions about the role of accountability in modern warfare. This imperative is not merely a moral obligation but also a necessary step towards preventing further tragedy and loss.

Prince Harry’s recent pledge to support children injured in conflict highlights the limits of philanthropy in addressing this crisis. The only true solution lies in fundamental changes to how warfare is conducted – and who bears responsibility for its consequences. Governments must adapt international norms to keep pace with technological advancements, ensuring that emerging technologies are developed and used with civilian safety at their core.

The UN’s Conflict Prevention Centre has called for greater transparency in AI-powered targeting systems and more robust regulations governing their use. However, these measures only scratch the surface of what is required – namely, a fundamental shift in how governments approach accountability in warfare. It is time to acknowledge that the current trajectory will lead only to further tragedy and loss. We must hold our leaders accountable for the harm inflicted on children and civilians by these technologies. The stakes are too high to ignore this imperative any longer.