Israeli occupation authorities are holding 200 Palestinian children from the West Bank and Jerusalem in inhumane conditions in three prisons: Damon Megiddo and Ofer.
Palestinian Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission in a statement marking Palestinian Child’s Day 5 April slammed the United Nations and international human rights organizations for failing to ensure the safety of 200 children who are subjected to physical and psychological abuse in Israeli jails.
Since 2000 the Israeli occupation authorities have arrested at least 17000 Palestinian minors aged 12-18. Some of the detainees were younger than 10. All of them were subjected to torture and assault whether physically or psychologically.
Most of the detained children were from Occupied Jerusalem the commission said.
According to the Defence for Children International every year 500-700 Palestinian children at the age of 12-17 are arrested and tried in Israeli military courts.
Israel’s detention of Palestinian children constitutes a violation of Article (33) and Article (34) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in which the states parties undertake to protect children from kidnapping and all forms of exploitation.
