Full Breakdown
UNICEF Reports 70 Child Deaths in West Bank and East Jerusalem Since Early 2025
5/12/2026, 11:51:27 PM
UNICEF Report on Child Fatalities in West Bank and East Jerusalem
UNICEF reported that 70 children have been killed and more than 800 injured in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of 2025. The agency attributes the majority of deaths to live-ammunition fire, with additional cases involving stabbing, beating and pepper-spray. According to UNICEF, 93 % of the fatalities were caused by Israeli forces, while the remainder resulted from settler attacks, unexploded ordnance or accidental Palestinian fire.
Context: Violence Surge and Key Actors
Human rights organizations have documented a renewed surge in violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and soldiers beginning in 2023. The United Nations and the majority of its member states consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank, captured in the 1967 war, illegal—a position contested by Israel. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who presented the data in Geneva, is a primary source, while the Israeli military has declined to comment. The West Bank and East Jerusalem have been under Israeli military occupation since the 1967 war.
Official Responses and Human Rights Observations
UNICEF spokesperson James Elder stressed that the incidents represent a sustained pattern of violations against children. The agency’s Geneva briefing presented the figures. The Israeli military offered no response to inquiries. Human rights groups have described a renewed surge in violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and soldiers since 2023.
Conflicting Information and Gaps
The Israeli military’s refusal to comment creates a verification gap concerning the circumstances of the reported deaths. No alternative casualty counts were presented in the source material, leaving the overall accuracy of the numbers uncorroborated.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These are not isolated incidents. They point to a sustained pattern of the worst kind of violation - violations against children,” — James Elder, UNICEF spokesperson
- “He said 93% of the children who had lost their lives since January 2025 had been killed by Israeli forces.” — James Elder, UNICEF spokesperson
- “The United Nations and most countries deem Israel's settlements on West Bank land captured in the 1967 war illegal, a view that Israel disputes.” — UN and most countries (as reported)
- “Human rights groups have described a renewed surge in violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and soldiers since 2023.” — Human rights groups (as reported)
Outlook
UNICEF has not issued further statements beyond the reported figures, and the source material does not indicate any planned investigations or follow-up actions. The Israeli military’s lack of comment leaves the situation largely unverified, reinforcing concerns raised by the agency about the protection of children in the occupied territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
