UNICEF says Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least one Palestinian child every week in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since the beginning of 2025, as violence across the territory continues to escalate.
According to the UN children’s agency, around 70 Palestinian children have been killed and more than 800 injured in the occupied Palestinian territories outside Gaza during that period. Most were reportedly shot with live ammunition.
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said the deaths were part of a “sustained pattern” of grave violations against children following his visit to the West Bank. He stated that the majority of the children killed were allegedly shot by Israeli forces, while others died in settler attacks or related violence.
The warning comes amid increasing Israeli military raids and settler attacks across the West Bank, where Palestinian communities have reported growing insecurity since the Gaza war began in 2023. Human rights organizations and international agencies have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact on children, schools, and civilian life.
UNICEF also said Palestinian children are facing severe disruptions to education, healthcare, and daily life because of the ongoing violence. In some areas, schools have reportedly been targeted or forced to suspend classes due to security fears.
Earlier UNICEF reports described the situation as even more severe following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. In July 2024, UNICEF said that, on average, one Palestinian child was being killed every two days in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
In Gaza, the humanitarian toll has been far greater. Palestinian health authorities say more than 72,000 people have been killed since October 2023, with children making up tens of thousands of the casualties. UNICEF and international organisations have repeatedly described Gaza as one of the most dangerous places in the world for children, with some estimates indicating that Palestinian children have been killed at an average rate of more than one child per hour during the war.
