GAZA (WAM)
A total of 143 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October last year, a spike of nearly 250 per cent compared to the preceding nine months, during which 41 Palestinian children were killed.
Additionally, more than 440 Palestinian children have been injured with live ammunition.
The figures raise serious alarm around unnecessary and excessive use of force against the most vulnerable.
“For years now, children living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been exposed to horrific violence,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The situation has deteriorated significantly, coinciding with the escalation of hostilities inside Gaza. We are seeing frequent allegations of Palestinian children being detained on their way home from school or shot while walking on the streets. The violence needs to stop now.”
The casualties have been reported in 10 out of 11 governorates in the West Bank, with more than half of the killings taking place in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nablus. These areas have seen an increase in large and militarised law enforcement operations over the past two years, indicating a shift in intensity and scope.