The number of children killed by Israeli forces reached 181 during the year 2015, of whom 43 children were killed in the Gaza Strip, said a statistics Bureau report.

A report issued by the Palestine Central Bureau of Statistics on the occasion of the Palestinian Child Day, which falls annually on April 5th, said the number of injured children has risen during the year 2015, reaching about 16,620.

According to the International Solidarity Movement, “Children’s Days around the world are intended to honour, protect and celebrate childhood. [However], Palestinian Children’s Day, commemorated on the 5th of April each year, is no celebration – rather it is a day highlighting the horrific treatment of Palestinian children by the occupying Israeli authorities.”

PCBS said about 2,179 children aged between 11 and 18 years were detained in 2015, recording an increase by 72.1% compared to 2014. “This figure is unprecedented compared to previous years,” noted the center.

“the increase is a trend since 1,266 children were detained in 2014, showing an increase by 36.0% compared to 2013.”

Regarding Israel’s ongoing expropriation of land and home demolitions, PCBS said, Palestinian children are victims of continuing Israeli violence and violations.

“The assaults against citizens and expropriation of land as well as house demolition and displacement of residents in the West Bank have increased in 2015.”

It said Israel demolished 645 houses and establishments, displacing and harming 2,180 people including 1,109 children in the West Bank Governorates, including Jerusalem. It also destroyed another 780 houses and establishments.

As for Israel’s attacks on schools, PCBS stated, in 2014, Israel soldiers and settlers had attacked 72 schools.

“21,882 students and 1,332 teachers suffered as a result of these aggressions not to mention material losses, total or partial destruction of school property following breaking, sabotaging and onslaughts.”

Regarding the number of children in Palestine, the central bureau noted that almost half of the Palestinian population are children.

It said the number of children below 18 years in Palestine was estimated at 2,165,288 in 2015, including 1,105,663 males and 1,059,625 females.

With reference to child labor, PCBS said the percentage of children aged 10-14 years who are working reached 2.0% in 2015, compared to 2.1% in 2012.

However, for the age group 15-17 the percentage of children at work reached 9.0% in 2015, showing an increase from its 2012 level 7.7%.

It said the percentage of children working and not enrolled in education reached 15.5% and 33.7% of all children not enrolled to education for each age group respectively for the year 2015.

In the meantime, PCBS said the percentage of children enrolled in education for the same age groups reached 1.6% and 3.6% of the total number of children enrolled in education for both age groups respectively.

In regard to social cash assistance, PCBS said the number of children who received social assistance in the West Bank reached 58,544 compared to 193,505 in the Gaza Strip for the year 2015.

It added that the number of children who receive cash assistance for a chronic illness reached 4,486 in the West Bank and 9,021 in the Gaza Strip.

On the other hand, 3,994 children suffer disabilities and receive cash assistance in the West Bank compared to 7,149 in the Gaza Strip, said the center.

Source: WAFA