The report added that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces this year is already higher than any other time in recent years, Palestine’s official Wafa news agency reported.
The ministry stated that last year, a total of 224 Palestinians, including 53 children and 17 women, were killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the occupied territories. This marks 2022 as the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2005.
The ministry also reported that 8 of the slain Palestinians were under the age of 10 and 45 were between the ages of 11-17. Israeli forces frequently launch raids on cities in the occupied West Bank under the pretext of detaining "wanted" Palestinians, often leading to violent confrontations with residents.
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs stated that Israel has arrested over 50,000 children since 1967, with 160 children still being held in Israeli detention centers today.
In recent years, Israeli authorities have increased their targeting of Palestinian children, resulting in the disruption of their education and a weakening of future generations.
Additionally, over 600 Palestinian children were kept under house arrest in 2022, a form of punishment mainly for children under the age of 14 due to legal restrictions on their imprisonment. There are reportedly over 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, with many held under the practice of administrative detention for up to 11 years.
In September 2021, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Center for Studies said Israeli authorities had clearly ramped up targeting Palestinian children in recent years with the aim of discouraging the Palestinian minors from resisting the Israeli occupation, ruining their educational opportunities and shaping up a weak generation.