UNICEF Condemns Rising Violence Against Children in the Occupied West Bank
UN Report Highlights Escalating Child Fatalities Amid Israel’s Military Campaign, Urging Immediate Cessation of Armed Actions
Watan-The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) condemned on Wednesday the escalating violence against children in the occupied West Bank in recent months, where Israel is conducting a large-scale military campaign. The organization called for an “immediate cessation of armed actions.”
Edward Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated that 13 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including seven children who were killed after the Israeli occupation launched its large-scale military operation in the northern West Bank on January 19.
In a statement, Beigbeder noted that a two-and-a-half-year-old child was among the victims, and his pregnant mother was also injured in the gunfire, according to UNICEF.
He added that UNICEF condemns “all acts of violence against children” and calls for the “immediate cessation of armed actions throughout the occupied West Bank.”
The UN official stressed the “need to protect all civilians, including children, without exception.”
The statement highlighted the widespread destruction caused by the increased use of explosive weapons, airstrikes, and demolitions in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas—including refugee camps and other densely populated areas. This has resulted in severe damage to essential infrastructure, leading to disruptions in water and electricity supplies.
Rising Death Toll Among Children
According to UNICEF, since October 7, 2023, 195 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Beigbeder pointed to a 200% increase in the number of Palestinian children killed in the region over the past 16 months compared to the previous 16-month period.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that between January 2023 and January 2025, 224 Palestinian children (218 boys and 6 girls) were killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers. This figure represents nearly half of the total number of Palestinian children killed in the West Bank since OCHA began documenting such deaths in 2005, totaling 468 children.
OCHA also recorded that over 2,500 Palestinian children were injured in the West Bank between January 2023 and January 2024.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli army and settlers have intensified their attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of 911 Palestinians, injuries to around 7,000, and the arrest of 14,500 others, according to official Palestinian data.
