DaysofPal — The Palestine Center for Prisoners Studies said on Thursday that 360 Palestinian minors are currently being held in Israeli prisons, suffering abuse, torture, and inhuman conditions, as they are victims of systematic Israeli policies of repression and retaliation.
In a statement released to local media on the occasion of the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, observed annually on June 4, the center called for urgent international intervention to protect detained children.
The organization stated that Palestinian minors in Israeli detention are subjected to various forms of abuse, including physical and psychological mistreatment, poor living conditions, and deprivation of basic rights.
It also cited cases of severe neglect, claiming that at least one child detainee died as a result of starvation.
According to the statement, more than 55,500 Palestinian children have been detained by Israeli occupation since 1967.
Five minors have reportedly died in custody during that period, most recently 17-year-old Walid Ahmad from the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah.
The group said medical reports indicated that Ahmad’s health deteriorated due to insufficient food during his detention, ultimately leading to his death.
The center also reported a sharp increase in child arrests since the outbreak of the Gaza war more than two and a half years ago, with over 1,850 minors detained during that time. Some of those detained are reportedly as young as 10 years old.
Among the 360 children currently in custody, more than 90 are being held under administrative detention, a practice that allows imprisonment without formal charges or trial.
The statement further highlighted the case of an infant reportedly born in prison in September 2025 to a detained Palestinian mother, describing him as the youngest detainee.
The rights group said children are often arrested during nighttime raids, subjected to beatings in front of family members, and transferred to detention centers lacking adequate healthcare and humane conditions.
It added that detainees face overcrowding, restricted family visits, medical negligence, and frequent cell searches conducted by special units, which sometimes involve the use of force and tear gas.
The center warned that poor hygiene conditions have contributed to the spread of diseases, including scabies, among detained children.
It also accused Israeli occupation of enacting laws and policies in recent years that facilitate the arrest and prosecution of Palestinian minors, including harsher sentencing and expanded use of house arrest and deportation measures.
The organization urged the international community to take responsibility, calling for the protection of Palestinian children and the enforcement of international conventions on children’s rights.
It described the Israeli inhuman practices as violations that could amount to war crimes.
Israeli occupation has previously stated that its detention policies are in line with security requirements and legal frameworks, though rights groups continue to criticize the treatment of Palestinian detainees, particularly minors.
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