Report: Israel's violence against imprisoned children increases

Hunger, abuse, sexual assaults and torture. And the situation has become significantly worse since the Gaza War broke out. This is evident from testimonies compiled by Save the Children from Palestinian children released from Israeli prisons.

» Published:

Report: Israel's violence against imprisoned children increases
Photo: Mahmud Illian/AP/TT

Share this article

Children who are forced to undress naked and are told that their parents do not want to meet them. Abuse and harassment of a sexual nature. Bruises, shock, and weight loss. Save the Children has interviewed 51 children who were arrested on the West Bank and held captive by Israel after Hamas' terrorist attack on October 7, which led to the war in Gaza.

The testimonies suggest that the situation has deteriorated significantly since then.

Johan Schaar, Middle East expert and former aid chief at the Swedish Consulate General in Jerusalem, believes that the treatment of Palestinian prisoners began to deteriorate with the current Israeli government's takeover – but that the trend has strengthened since October 7.

He believes that many within Israeli authorities and politically responsible individuals see a tough attitude towards prisoners as a revenge that can be exacted for Palestinian terrorist crimes. This includes, for example, Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, responsible for, among other things, the police and prison authorities.

He is one of the most extreme ministers in the government. He has actively worked to worsen the conditions for Palestinian prisoners and has publicly stated it as a goal, says Schaar.

No contact

Firas and Qusay, both 17 years old from the West Bank, were in Israeli prisons before the war started and were released at the end of last year.

"The terror we lived with (after October 7) made prison life before the war feel like heaven," says Firas in the report.

The number of children increased after the outbreak of war, some as young as 12 years old, according to Firas and Qusay. Many have no contact with relatives who in some cases do not know where the children are.

"The younger children were very scared and cried all the time," says Qusay.

More severe symptoms

Child psychologists on site warn that the children who have been released are having an increasingly difficult time recovering and that their symptoms are more intense than before. They live with feelings of guilt for friends who have not been released and with fear of being arrested again.

Save the Children's Secretary-General Åsa Regnér points out to TT that it is important not to forget the West Bank, as the situation for both adults and children has deteriorated there as well.

Since October, it is estimated that 650 children from the West Bank and an unknown number of children from Gaza have been imprisoned. Currently, an estimated 250 children are being held captive. The most common charge is stone-throwing, which can result in 20 years in prison.

Since 1967, Israel has had two separate legal systems on the occupied West Bank: a civil and criminal system for Israeli settlers and military law for Palestinians.

Israel is the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in military courts, which violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to Israel's military legislation, children from the age of 12 can be imprisoned.

The arrested children often confess to crimes after verbal abuse, threats, and physical and psychological violence, which in some cases can be likened to torture.

Israeli military law does not provide the right to legal counsel during interrogations, and military courts rarely exclude confessions made under duress or torture.

Many trials are held in Hebrew, and children may be forced to sign Hebrew documents they do not understand.

Administrative detention is used against children as well as adult Palestinians and is a form of imprisonment without trial or charge. Therefore, there are no legal opportunities to question the detention. It is decided for up to six months at a time and can be renewed indefinitely.

In April, approximately one in three Palestinian child prisoners were held under administrative detention, according to the prison authority Shabas (IPS).

On July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague declared Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal, which, according to Save the Children, challenges the legal status of Israel's policy and military internment.

Source: Save the Children, Defense for Children International Palestine

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Turkey Court to Rule on Opposition Party Election Validity

Turkey Court to Rule on Opposition Party Election Validity

320,000 Palestinians Evacuate Gaza City Amid Israeli Military Warnings

320,000 Palestinians Evacuate Gaza City Amid Israeli Military Warnings

Britain Prepares Royal Welcome for Trump's State Visit

Britain Prepares Royal Welcome for Trump's State Visit

Starlink Outage Impacts Ukraine's Defense Operations

Starlink Outage Impacts Ukraine's Defense Operations

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

Australia Faces Major Climate Change Impacts Over Next 25 Years

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

EU Faces Backlash Over Trade Deal with Trump Amid Criticism

Equatorial Guinea Island Faces Year-Long Internet Blackout After Protests

Equatorial Guinea Island Faces Year-Long Internet Blackout After Protests

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Trump Urges Israel to Be Cautious After Qatar Attack

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Far-Right Gains Momentum in German Local Elections

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Lula Defends Bolsonaro Verdict as Upholding Democracy, Not a Witch Hunt

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Over 100,000 Join Pro-Palestinian Protest in Madrid, Disrupting Cycling Event

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Massive Ankara Protest Backs Turkish Opposition Amid Court Case

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador Over Drone Airspace Violation

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities

Kirk Murder Suspect Tyler Robinson Not Cooperating with Authorities

Qatar Calls for Punishment of Israel After Attack in Doha

Qatar Calls for Punishment of Israel After Attack in Doha

Starmer Condemns Violence and Racism After London Protest

Starmer Condemns Violence and Racism After London Protest

Russian Fishing Vessel Rescued After Power Failure in Danish Waters

Russian Fishing Vessel Rescued After Power Failure in Danish Waters

Ukraine Linked to Russian Train Sabotage Causing Fatalities and Disruptions

Ukraine Linked to Russian Train Sabotage Causing Fatalities and Disruptions

Gaza Residents Flee Amid Escalating Conflict and Overcrowded Camps

Gaza Residents Flee Amid Escalating Conflict and Overcrowded Camps

Explosion in Madrid Leaves One Dead and 25 Injured

Explosion in Madrid Leaves One Dead and 25 Injured