UNICEF says 250% increase in Palestinian children killed by Israel in West Bank since 7 October

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has recorded a 250 per cent increase in the number of Palestinian children killed by Israel in the occupied West Bank since the start of the apartheid state’s military offensive against the Gaza Strip on 7 October.

In a report issued on Monday, UNICEF said that 143 children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October last year, which represents an increase of about 250 per cent compared with the previous nine months. It pointed out that the first nine months of 2023 saw 41 Palestinian children killed by Israeli occupation forces.

The UN organisation indicated that more than 440 Palestinian children were wounded by live ammunition during the period since October 2023, as Israeli military operations escalated in the West Bank and East Jerusalem coinciding with the outbreak of the offensive against Gaza. On average, a Palestinian child has been killed by Israel every two days since 7 October in the occupied territories, excluding the thousands killed in Gaza.

“Children living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have been exposed to horrific violence for years,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The situation has deteriorated sharply with the escalation of hostilities inside Gaza.”

She added: “There are reports of Palestinian children being detained on their way home from school, or being shot while walking in the streets. This violence must stop now.”

Half of the killings occurred in the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nablus governorates, said Russell. “These areas have witnessed an increase in large law enforcement operations with a military nature over the past two years.”

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