Before he dropped a bombshell UN report accusing Israel of deliberately targeting children in Gaza, Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar was no stranger to taking on powerful governments. The retired Indian Supreme Court judge, who led the UN Commission of Inquiry into the deaths of 1,500 Palestinian children during the 2023-2024 Gaza war, built his career on fearless verdicts that rattled New Delhi. Now, his findings have made him a hero to human rights advocates—and a target for accusations of bias.
Muralidhar's 400-page report, released Tuesday, doesn't mince words. It concludes that the Israeli military conducted airstrikes on schools, hospitals, and residential buildings with malice aforethought, violating international law. The evidence: satellite images, survivor testimonies, and Israeli military records leaked by whistleblowers. 'There are risks in speaking truth to power,' Muralidhar told Al Jazeera in an interview. 'But the truth must be told.'
The Judge Who Jailed a Chief Minister
This isn't Muralidhar's first rodeo. In 2014, while serving on the Delhi High Court, he sentenced then-Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to prison for contempt of court over a land scam. The ruling stunned India's political elite. Dikshit, a three-term chief minister, had ignored court orders to demolish illegal buildings—and Muralidhar made her pay. 'He treated everyone equally,' recalls senior advocate Prashant Bhushan. 'Power didn't intimidate him.'
That same year, Muralidhar overturned the acquittal of six men convicted of gang-raping a photojournalist in Mumbai, calling the lower court's reasoning 'perverse.' His judgment upheld life sentences and criticized police for mishandling evidence. 'He has a spine of steel,' says human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover. 'He doesn't cave to public or political pressure.'
Muralidhar's reputation for independence earned him a seat on the Supreme Court in 2019. But his tenure was rocky. He clashed with the government over judicial appointments and the handling of the 2020 Delhi riots, where he ordered a probe into police inaction against Hindu mobs. In 2023, he retired early, reportedly frustrated by political interference. Then the UN came calling.
The Gaza Investigation: What the Report Found
The UN commission, which Muralidhar chaired alongside two other jurists, investigated 120 incidents between October 2023 and August 2024. Their conclusion: Israeli forces committed 'war crimes' and 'crimes against humanity' by targeting children. Key findings include:
• Airstrikes on Jabalia refugee camp killed 280 children in a single week. • Bombing of Al-Shifa Hospital destroyed the pediatric wing, killing 45 children on life support. • Use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas caused severe burns to over 200 children.
The report also accuses Hamas of using child soldiers, but Muralidhar emphasized that Israel's actions were 'systematic and deliberate.' 'The scale is unprecedented,' he said. 'This wasn't collateral damage. This was policy.'
'The scale is unprecedented. This wasn't collateral damage. This was policy.'
Israel rejected the report as 'biased and fabricated,' with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling Muralidhar a 'self-hating Jew'—a bizarre slur given Muralidhar is Hindu. The US State Department echoed the criticism, questioning the commission's methodology. But Muralidhar stands by his work. 'We interviewed 500 witnesses, cross-referenced every claim with satellite data,' he told reporters. 'The evidence is overwhelming.'
An Unlikely Target
Muralidhar's findings have made him a lightning rod. Pro-Israel groups have launched online smear campaigns, labeling him 'anti-Semitic' and 'pro-Hamas.' Even Indian media—usually deferential to retired judges—has turned skeptical. The Times of India editorialized that the report 'lacks balance,' while an NDTV anchor accused Muralidhar of 'grandstanding.'
But Muralidhar's supporters argue his track record proves otherwise. 'He's not anti-anything except injustice,' says Grover. 'If he found Israel guilty, it's because the evidence pointed there.' Adds Bhushan: 'His reputation for impartiality is unassailable. That's why the UN chose him.'
Muralidhar himself seems unfazed by the backlash. 'I've been called worse,' he joked in the interview. 'When you take on power, you expect pushback.' He now plans to use the report as a basis for litigation at the International Criminal Court, urging member states to prosecute Israeli officials. 'The law must hold everyone accountable,' he said. 'Otherwise, it's just words on paper.'
What Comes Next?
The report's immediate impact is uncertain. The UN Security Council is deadlocked, with the US vetoing resolutions. But Muralidhar hopes moral pressure will mount. 'History remembers those who stood with the victims,' he says. 'Governments may ignore us now, but the document will survive.'
For Muralidhar, the risks are personal. He now travels with a security detail, his family has received threats, and his phone is tapped—he's sure of it. 'But what's the alternative?' he asks. 'Silence? I've never been good at that.'
And that's what makes Muralidhar dangerous to those in power: he doesn't flinch. Whether it's a chief minister or a prime minister, he calls it as he sees it. For the children of Gaza, that may be the only justice they get.
