DaysofPal- Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have killed 244 Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, according to Palestinian rights activist Aed Abu Qteish, who warned that a lack of accountability is enabling continued violations.
Speaking on Sunday, Abu Qteish said the absence of serious investigations into such incidents effectively gives Israeli soldiers a “green light” to continue targeting children.
His remarks follow a recent statement by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who said Palestinian children are paying an “unbearable price” amid escalating military operations and settler attacks across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
According to UNICEF, at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average each week between January 2025 and May 13, 2026, with 70 children reported killed during that period.
The organization said 93 percent of those deaths were caused by Israeli gunfire.
Abu Qteish provided a broader breakdown of fatalities, stating that 81 children were killed between October and December 2023, an average of one child per day, followed by 93 deaths in 2024, or one child every four days.
Since the beginning of 2025, he said, 70 children have been killed, averaging one per week.
He further alleged that Israeli forces not only use live ammunition against children but also obstruct ambulances and family members from reaching the wounded, suggesting that the intent in many cases is to kill rather than neutralize a threat.
The activist also criticized the lack of genuine investigations by the Israeli occupation.
“Even in rare cases where probes are opened, no soldiers are held accountable,” he said, arguing that the issue reflects broader rules of engagement rather than isolated misconduct.
Abu Qteish warned that the situation constitutes violations of international conventions, particularly children’s rights, including the right to education.
He described daily life for Palestinian children as increasingly dangerous, noting that schools have come under attack and access routes are frequently blocked by military operations or settler violence.
In one recent incident in April, a settler attack on the village of Umm al-Kheir near Hebron reportedly blocked access roads, preventing children from reaching school on their first day back after a prolonged closure.
He also highlighted the detention of Palestinian minors, including the use of administrative detention without charge.
According to his account, more than half of detained Palestinian children are held under such orders, often accompanied by allegations of ill-treatment during interrogation.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, violence in the West Bank has intensified, with frequent raids, arrests, and shootings.
Palestinian sources report that at least 1,162 people have been killed by Israeli forces, and around 12,245 injured, and approximately 23,000 detained in the occupied Palestinian territory during this period.
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