United Nations on Tuesday condemned the rising toll on children from “escalating” Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, reporting that 70 Palestinian children have been killed since the start of 2025.
Speaking to reporters, James Elder said, “Children are paying an intolerable price for escalating military operations and settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
He added that since the beginning of 2025, when Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the West Bank, at least one Palestinian child had been killed on average every week, while around 850 children had been injured during the same period.
Elder said most of those killed or wounded were struck by live ammunition, noting that Israeli forces were responsible for 93 per cent of the deaths. He also highlighted that the intensified military operations were taking place alongside what he described as “historic levels of settler attacks.”
According to the UN, March 2026 recorded the highest number of Palestinians injured by Israeli settlers in at least 20 years.
Elder said documented incidents included children being shot, stabbed, beaten and pepper-sprayed, stressing the severity of the violence affecting minors.
He warned that such developments were occurring alongside the “steady dismantling of the conditions children need to survive and grow,” including widespread destruction of essential infrastructure.
“Homes are demolished, education is destroyed, water systems are attacked, access to healthcare is obstructed, movement is restricted,” he said.
The UN official further noted a sharp rise in barriers and movement restrictions across the West Bank, which has left Palestinian children frequently cut off from schools, hospitals and other essential services.
He added that these restrictions have triggered mass displacement, with more than 2,500 Palestinians — including 1,100 children — forced from their homes in the first four months of the year, exceeding total displacement figures recorded in 2025.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the war in Gaza began in October 2023 following the Hamas attack in Israel. West Bank has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, a situation widely regarded as contrary to international law.
According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian Authority figures, at least 1,070 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers during this period.
Meanwhile, official Israeli figures indicate that at least 46 Israelis, including both civilians and soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations over the same timeframe.