New York, June 5 (RHC)-- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to charge Israel with the violation of children's rights. The U.S.-based rights group called on Ban Ki-moon to resist political pressure from Tel Aviv and Washington and add the Israel military to an annual “List of Shame” in reaction to the death of more than 500 Palestinian children and the injury of 3,300 others during the 50-day aggression in Gaza Strip in summer 2014. The annual “List of Shame” is due to be released next week.

"Secretary-General Ban can strengthen child protection in war by compiling his list based on facts, not political pressure," said Philippe Bolopion, crisis advocacy director at Human Rights Watch.

Israeli forces killed over 2,130 Palestinians including 578 children and wounded more than 11,000 people during the 50-day aggression against Gaza Strip in 2014. An investigation of only 70 Israeli strikes on Gaza last summer showed that more than 70 percent of the 606 Palestinians killed in those strikes were minors, women or elderly.

The Gaza Strip has been under a crippling Israeli blockade since June 2007, which has caused a decline in the standard of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty.