Israel arrests 700 Palestinian children every year

The Palestinian Authority’s Minister for Prisoners’ Affairs, Issa Qaraqe, has claimed that the Israelis arrest 700 Palestinian minors on an annual basis, including some as young as 12 and 13.

In a press statement, Mr Qaraqe said that 90 per cent of the children who are detained by Israel are subjected to torture, abuse, undue pressure and bargaining. He added that Israel is dealing with detained children as ticking bombs, lifting their immunity as minors, and it does not respect international laws with regard to dealing with children in detention. He called on the international community to launch a campaign to protect the children of Palestine.

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Qaraqe is assured that 280 Palestinian children are languishing in Israeli prisons, and that a number of children, particularly those from different areas of Jerusalem, have been sentenced to “homestay”, or removal from their places of residence.