Tel Aviv [Israel], July 11: A damning report released by Save the Children, a prominent rights group, sheds light on the distressing reality faced by Palestinian minors detained by Israeli forces. The report, published on Monday, highlights the immense emotional and physical abuse endured by these children while in custody.
According to the findings, some former child detainees disclosed incidents of sexual violence, while many others were subjected to beatings, handcuffing, and blindfolding in cramped detention centres. The mistreatment continued as they were moved between facilities.
Jason Lee, Save the Children's country director in the occupied Palestinian territory, emphasized that Palestinian children are the sole group worldwide to undergo systematic prosecution in military courts.
The study revealed a concerning rise in post-detention trauma among former child detainees, including nightmares, insomnia, and difficulty reintegrating into their normal lives. Many reported a diminishing sense of hope for their future prospects.
Of the 228 former child detainees surveyed, a staggering 86 percent reported experiencing beatings during their detention, while 69 percent were subjected to strip searches. Shockingly, 42 percent sustained injuries at the time of their arrest, including gunshot wounds and broken bones.
The report further highlighted that these children were often interrogated at undisclosed locations without the presence of a guardian or caregiver. They frequently endured deprivation of basic necessities such as food, water, and sleep. Access to legal counsel was also frequently denied, as documented by the research.
Save the Children stressed that the former child detainees surveyed hailed from various parts of the occupied West Bank and had been held for periods ranging from one to 18 months.
According to the report, the primary alleged offense for these detentions is stone-throwing, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for Palestinian children.
The release of this new research coincides with the UN special rapporteur's presentation of evidence on Monday to the Human Rights Council regarding the plight of Palestinian children in detention in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.
It is estimated that each year between 500 and 1,000 children are held in Israeli military detention.
Osama Arabi, now 44 years old and a former detainee, vividly recalls being strip-searched during his arrest as a minor. He described the experience as humiliating and anger-inducing.
Save the Children expressed grave concern over these long-standing and systemic human rights violations and called for an immediate end to the detention of Palestinian children under military law and their prosecution in military courts.
Khalil, arrested at the age of 13, revealed that he was denied essential healthcare while in detention. In his own words, as quoted by Save the Children, he said, "I had an injury in my leg. I had a cast and had to crawl to be able to move. I felt my body being torn apart. I had no canes to help me walk, I kept asking soldiers for help during the transfer, but no one helped me."
Save the Children's country director, Jason Lee, concluded, "Our research once again demonstrates that Palestinian children are subject to serious and widespread abuse at the hands of those who are meant to protect them."
Source: Qatar Tribune