Number of children killed in West Bank has reached unprecedented levels: UN agency

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Thursday that the number of children killed in the West Bank has reached unprecedented levels and their suffering must not fade into the background of the current conflict.

“This year has been the deadliest year on record for children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with conflict-related violence reaching unprecedented levels,” said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr.

She noted that “83 children have been killed in the past twelve weeks – more than double the number of children killed in all of 2022, amid increased military and law enforcement operations.”

Khodr also said that “more than 576 (children) have been injured and others have reportedly been detained. Furthermore, the West Bank has been heavily affected by movement and access restrictions.”

“As the world watches on in horror at the situation in the Gaza Strip, children in the West Bank are experiencing a nightmare of their own. Living with a near-constant feeling of fear and grief is, sadly, all too common for the children affected,” she said.

“The suffering of children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must not fade into the background of the current conflict – it is part of it,” she added.