Over 500 Palestinian children imprisoned in the West Bank since the Gaza war

Israeli forces have arrested hundreds of Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank since the Gaza war began in October, human rights group Addameer reported.

According to the prisoner support and rights organization, at least 540 children are being held in difficult conditions and treated similarly to adult Palestinian prisoners. Cases of torture and ill-treatment have been repeatedly reported.

Since Israel began its devastating war on Gaza on October 7, there has been a significant increase in the arrests of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Addameer has so far recorded at least 8,425 Palestinians arrested in the occupied territories.

A particularly large number of children were arrested in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron.

This week, four children between the ages of 13 and 15 were arrested, including one child who was shot by Israeli forces. The new Arabs Arabic-language sister publication, Al-Arabi Al-Jadeedreported on Friday.

Yousef Abu Maria, the coordinator of the People’s Committee in Beit Ummar, said Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that some of the children were arrested on trumped-up charges.

“More than 250 arrests have targeted children in the town of Beit Ummar, including children as young as 10 years old… some have been placed in administrative detention. This is causing fear and terror among the children,” he said.

Abu Maria added that his 17-year-old son had been arrested twice since the ongoing war in Gaza began, the second time when he was placed in administrative detention.

He believes that the Israeli arrests are intended to send a message to Palestinians that their children are treated the same as adults.

“The abuse of children is no different from other forms of abuse. It includes severe beatings, humiliation, insults, deprivation of access to lawyers and the use of starvation as a weapon against them, as well as horrific conditions,” Abu Maria continued.

Amer Al-Junaidi, legal adviser to Defence for Children International, said Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the conditions in which children are currently being held are “tragic” and far worse than before the war.

He called on Israel to adhere to international humanitarian standards in its treatment of children.

The reports come against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing war against Gaza, which has killed at least 37,765 Palestinians since October and injured 86,429 others in the same period.