Israeli forces subject Palestinian children arrested to immense emotional and physical abuse, as revealed by the rights group Save the Children in a new report. The report, published on Monday, states that some of the former Palestinian children detainees interviewed reported experiencing violence of a sexual nature, while many others endured beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding in small cages within detention centers and during transfers between centers.
Save the Children’s country director in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jason Lee, emphasized that Palestinian children are the only ones in the world to face systematic prosecution in military courts.
There is a marked increase in the number of former child detainees who suffer nightmares and insomnia and have difficulty returning to their normal life.
Many reported a decrease in hope for their futures.
The study indicates that 86 percent of the 228 surveyed former child detainees reported experiencing beatings while in detention. In addition ,69 percent underwent strip searches. Furthermore, the study observed that 42 percent of the detainees sustained injuries at the time of arrest. This is including gunshot wounds and broken bones.
Israeli forces
The report states that Israeli forces interrogated Palestinian children at unknown locations . This was without the presence of a guardian or caregiver. Additionally, the children are frequently deprived of food, water, and sleep.
The research reveals that the children were frequently denied access to legal counsel.
According to Save the Children, the surveyed former child detainees were from various locations across the occupied West Bank . They had experienced detention periods ranging from one month to 18 months.
The report says: “The main alleged crime for these detentions is stone-throwing. It can carry a 20-year sentence in prison for Palestinian children.”
The new research comes as the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 presents evidence on Monday to the Human Rights Council on Palestinian children in detention.
Estimates suggest that each year, Israeli military detention holds between 500 and 1,000 children.