Humanitarians report rise in children killed and injured in the West Bank

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The killing, injury and displacement of Palestinians continues in the West Back against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, now in its 10th month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update issued on Wednesday. 

The number of Palestinian children killed by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces has almost tripled since 7 October 2023, compared with the preceding 10 months, rising from 39 to 115.

Similarly, the number of Palestinian boys and girls injured by live ammunition fired by Israeli soldiers more than doubled during the same corresponding periods, or 1,411 compared to 615.

West Bank violence

The OCHA humanitarian update covered the period from 6 -12 August.

During that time, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians in the West Bank. Another 54 were injured, including 11 children, by both Israeli forces and settlers. 

Palestinians also shot and killed an Israeli civilian and a Palestinian in two separate incidents. 

Additionally, two Palestinian men died from wounds sustained in Israeli airstrikes during an operation in Jenin on 5 August, bringing the death toll from that incident to seven.

Nearly 600 killed overall

Since the start of the Gaza war though to 12 August,  594 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in addition to two others who died from wounds sustained prior to 7 October. 

The majority, 577, were killed by Israeli forces, and 10 by settlers, while it remains unknown whether the others were killed by Israeli forces or settlers.

OCHA said Israeli settlers perpetrated 25 attacks against Palestinians during the reporting period, resulting in six injuries and damage to property. Two children were among those injured.

Palestinians also carried out three attacks against settlers, resulting in injury to one person. 

OCHA recorded roughly 1,250 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024. Around 120 led to fatalities and injuries, and about 1,000 resulted in damage to property. In 130 cases, both casualties and property damage occurred.

The agency highlighted an incident during the reporting period in which Israeli settlers assaulted two 15-year-old Palestinian boys by handcuffing them, breaking their legs, and urinating on them in a settler outpost near Bethlehem. 

Property damage and demolitions

Demolition of Palestinian homes, and the destruction of public infrastructure, also continues in the West Bank, the report revealed.

Between 6 and 12 August, Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of nine Palestinian-owned structures, one of which was a punitive demolition and eight were due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which OCHA noted are almost impossible to obtain. 

As a result, 37 Palestinians were displaced, including 13 children, and around 789 more otherwise affected, mainly children.