GENEVA: The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the growing number of Palestinian children killed and injured during escalating Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, saying children were paying an “intolerable price” for the violence.
Speaking to reporters, James Elder, spokesman for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, said at least 70 Palestinian children had been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of 2025.
“Children are paying an intolerable price for escalating military operations and settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” Elder said.
He added that since Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the territory earlier this year, “at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average every single week”.
According to UNICEF, another 850 Palestinian children have been injured during the same period, with most casualties caused by live ammunition.
Elder said Israeli forces were responsible for 93 per cent of the reported child deaths and noted that the intensified military operations coincided with “historic levels of settler attacks”.
Citing UN data, he said March 2026 recorded the highest number of Palestinians injured by Israeli settlers in at least two decades.
“Documented incidents include children shot, stabbed, children beaten and children pepper-sprayed,” he said.
The UN official also warned that conditions necessary for children’s survival and development were steadily deteriorating across the territory.
“Homes are demolished, education is destroyed, water systems are attacked, access to healthcare is obstructed, movement is restricted,” Elder said.
He further highlighted a sharp increase in checkpoints, barriers and movement restrictions across the West Bank, leaving many children unable to access schools, hospitals and essential services.
The worsening conditions have also triggered widespread displacement. According to UNICEF, more than 2,500 Palestinians — including 1,100 children — were displaced in the first four months of 2026 alone.
“That surpasses the total displacement recorded in 2025,” Elder noted.
Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, following the attack by Hamas on Israel.
According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian Authority figures, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 1,070 Palestinians in the West Bank since then, including many militants.
Israeli official figures state that at least 46 Israelis, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations over the same period.
