A new report by the Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) has revealed that four out of five Palestinian children detained by Israeli occupation forces are subjected to physical violence during arrest, transfer or interrogation.
The report, titled “Isolated and Alone: Palestinian Children Held in Solitary Confinement by Israeli Authorities for Interrogation”, is based on the testimonies of 108 Palestinian children who were detained by Israeli occupation forces in 2016 and 2017.
According to the report, 81.5% of the children reported being physically abused by Israeli soldiers or police officers, while 66.7% faced verbal abuse, intimidation or humiliation. The most common forms of physical violence included slapping, punching, kicking and beating with a weapon.
The report also found that 72.2% of the children were interrogated without the presence of a lawyer or a family member, and 97.2% were not informed of their rights. Moreover, 49.1% of the children were held in solitary confinement for an average of 16 days, which the report described as a form of torture and a violation of international law.
The report called on the Israeli occupation to end its practice of arresting and detaining Palestinian children in a military system that denies them basic rights and protections, and to comply with its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international human rights treaties.
The report also urged the international community to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its violations of Palestinian children’s rights and to support the rights and well-being of Palestinian children living under Israeli occupation.
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