The United Nations on Tuesday condemned the escalating toll from Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, reporting that 70 Palestinian children have been killed since the start of 2025.
Children Paying an Intolerable Price
“Children are paying an intolerable price for escalating military operations and settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” said James Elder, spokesman for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, during a press briefing.
Since Israel launched a large-scale military operation in the West Bank at the beginning of 2025, “at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average every single week,” Elder noted. He added that another 850 children had been injured during that period, with “most of those killed or wounded” caused by live ammunition.
Israeli Forces Responsible for 93% of Deaths
Elder highlighted that Israeli forces were responsible for 93 percent of the child deaths, and that the intensified military operations occurred alongside “historic levels of settler attacks.” According to UN data, March 2026 saw the highest number of Palestinians injured by Israeli settlers in at least 20 years.
“Documented incidents include children shot, stabbed, children beaten and children pepper-sprayed,” Elder said. He stressed that such violence takes place against the backdrop of the “steady dismantling of the conditions children need to survive and grow.”
Destruction of Essential Services
“Homes are demolished, education is destroyed, water systems are attacked, access to healthcare is obstructed, movement is restricted,” Elder pointed out. The number of barriers and restrictions across the West Bank has dramatically increased, cutting off Palestinian children from schools, hospitals, and other essential services.
Mass Displacement
These factors have led to mass displacement. In just the first four months of this year, more than 2,500 Palestinians—including 1,100 children—were displaced in the West Bank. “That surpasses the total displacement recorded in 2025,” Elder noted.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, following Hamas’s attack on Israel. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, in contravention of international law. According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian Authority figures, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,070 Palestinians, including many militants. Official Israeli figures report that at least 46 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.
