The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club stated on Wednesday that Israeli occupation forces have arrested more than 2,000 Palestinian children since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023. The organization highlighted that at least 350 children remain in detention, enduring conditions that include torture, starvation, isolation, and denial of healthcare.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the club noted that occupation forces arrested at least six children from the West Bank during the previous night. These arrests were concentrated in the towns of Sa’ir and Al-Sheikh, located in the Hebron governorate. The organization clarified that these documented figures do not account for a clear total of children detained from Gaza, due to ongoing enforced disappearances and the unclear fate of several detainees and missing persons, including minors.
The club emphasized that administrative detention deprives children of family stability and education, as they are held without explicit charges or a clear timeframe for release. It asserted that violations extend to interrogation conditions, judicial procedures, and a lack of actual accountability. The statement recalled the death of child Walid Khaled Ahmad inside Midevo prison in March 2025. Medical data indicated severe emaciation and signs of malnutrition and dehydration. The closure of the investigation into his death has raised questions regarding accountability for the circumstances of his demise.
Additionally, the club pointed to the deterioration of the health of 15-year-old Muhammad Hamid during his detention in Ofer prison. After contracting scabies, his condition worsened into serious infections requiring heart surgery, followed by the amputation of one leg. He has been receiving treatment for approximately three months.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club called for international action to ensure the release of arbitrarily detained children, an end to administrative detention and forced investigations, and the cessation of torture, starvation, and denial of medical care. They demanded independent and effective investigations into violations against children and accountability for those responsible.
Arrest campaigns against Palestinians, including children, have intensified since October 7, 2023, coinciding with the war on Gaza and increased raids and military operations in the West Bank.
