UN: IOF Martyr at Least 245 Palestinian Children in Occupied West Bank Since October 2023

By Staff, Agencies

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has revealed that at least 245 Palestinian children have been killed by “Israeli” forces in the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023, when the war on Gaza began.

Speaking on Friday, Turk said the fatalities included 41 children who were martyred in incidents involving stone-throwing, raising serious concerns over the use of lethal force against minors.

“The killing of a child is deplorable. The killing of a child for simply carrying or throwing stones is abhorrent,” Turk stated.

He emphasized that international law requires security forces to ensure that any use of force is necessary and proportionate to the threat faced, stressing that violations must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.

“There must be accountability for violations,” he added.

The UN remarks come amid a significant escalation in violence across the occupied West Bank, where attacks by “Israeli” forces and settlers have intensified since October 2023. The United Nations has described the level of violence as unprecedented.

According to UN figures, at least 1,143 Palestinians, including 250 children, have been martyred in the occupied West Bank during this period. The total includes Palestinians martyred in attacks carried out by settlers living in settlements across the occupied territory.

Meanwhile, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project [ACLED] has warned that 2026 could become the deadliest year for settler-related violence since the organization began monitoring such incidents a decade ago.

In July alone, four incidents involving armed settlers and “Israeli” forces reportedly resulted in 11 Palestinian deaths.

The areas particularly affected by settler attacks include Al-Khalil [“Hebron”], Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Al-Bireh, where Palestinian communities continue to face violence and displacement.

In a recent incident on November 10, “Israeli” forces shot and martyred a 14-year-old Palestinian boy and wounded two other teenagers during a military raid on the village of Burqa in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the victim as Moataz Iyad Daghlas and reported that “Israeli” authorities were withholding his body.

The official Palestinian WAFA news agency reported that the two other injured teenagers included a 17-year-old who was shot in the abdomen and pelvis and a 19-year-old who sustained a gunshot wound to the hand.

The latest figures have renewed international concerns over the growing number of Palestinian civilian casualties, particularly children, and the need for accountability over the use of lethal force and continuing violence in the occupied West Bank.