1,000 Palestinian Minors Detained by Israeli Forces Since the Beginning of 2016

Israeli forces have detained around 1,000 Palestinian minors since the beginning of 2016, a Palestinian committee said Saturday, accrding to Anadolu Agency.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s committee on detainees said some of the minors were held under Israel’s administrative detention, a policy under which prisoners can be held for up to one year without charge of trial.

“Some of these minors were held under administrative detention, while others were sentenced to jail or paid large fine in order to be released,” the committee said in a report.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, committee head Issa Qaraqe said targeting Palestinian minors in Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has significantly increased since October 2015.
“Palestinian children were subjected to torture and abuse inside the Israeli jails,” he said, going on to appeal to international organizations to intervene to “protect Palestinian children from detention”.

“This requires a wide and fast action from the international community,” he added.

On Friday afternoon A Palestinian child was shot and injured by Israeli Forces after allegedly attempting to carry out a stabbing attack near Kiryat Arba settlement, illegally built in al-Khalil.

Israeli media sources claimed that an “assailant” attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against soldiers standing near the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba in the West Bank district of al-Khalil, but he was shot by soldiers.

Local sources identified the injured boy as Osama Murad Zeidat, 14, from Bani Naim town east of al-Khalil.

The sources pointed out that he was shot in his feet and left bleeding for long hours before being transferred in an Israeli ambulance.

No Israelis were injured in the alleged stabbing attempt. Israeli media reported that another Palestinian was with Zeidat but fled the scene, with Israeli forces reportedly searching for him.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot and injured a second Palestinian between Silwad and Ein Yabrod towns east of Ramallah.

The Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns in the occupied territories that ostensibly target Palestinians who are “wanted” by the Israeli occupation authorities.

Over 7,000 Palestinians are currently languishing in prisons located throughout Israel, according to the Palestinian government.