Occupied Palestinian Territory

Save the Children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Save the Children has worked in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1953, with a permanent presence since 1973. Since then, we have worked with partners to help provide quality education, protection for children, early childhood development support, and employment opportunities for at-risk youth. We also focus on child-centred climate change programming, advocacy and campaigning, on environmental education, community-based adaption and climate activism.

The majority of the Palestinian population living in the occupied Palestinian territory are children and youth. Decades of conflict, the ongoing military occupation, and the blockade of Gaza hinder the right to self-determination and consequently, have adverse impacts on the development of Palestinian communities, greatly increasing the vulnerability of children, particularly children most impacted by inequality and discrimination. Palestinian children and their families continue to live in an environment characterised by violence, poverty and insecurity. 

In 2024, the occupied Palestinian territory, specifically the Gaza Strip, was recognised as the deadliest place on earth to be a child. Palestinian children in Gaza have been uprooted time and time again, denied access to the basics they need to survive, had their hopes and dreams shattered, and a year of their education stolen. Those who survive are living, and will live, a life that no child should have to. The Israeli occupation – found illegal by the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest court - and ongoing war have not only devastated their daily lives but threaten to impact them for years to come. The war comes on top of 57 years of occupation, including 17 years of blockade of Gaza.

Children in Gaza are being killed by Israeli forces’ strikes, bombs and bullets at an unprecedented rate. They are dying because of hunger and disease. Children in Gaza have lost their homes, loved ones, schools, access to healthcare, normal routines and the safety to which they have a right. Many are missing, either trapped under rubble, detained or separated from their families. With many people living in cramped and unsanitary conditions, diseases are spreading. The health care system has been completely decimated.  Children are meant to be off limits in war. They have specific vulnerabilities, rights and obligations owed to them. Yet they continue to pay for this war with their lives and futures. It must stop. They must be protected. 

In the West Bank, Israeli forces’ restrictions on movement and access, home demolitions and forced displacement as well as settler violence have a significant impact on children’s lives. Challenges to life, security, and human dignity are realities for children living in highly vulnerable areas. The situation in the West Bank has rapidly deteriorated, with record numbers of Palestinian children getting killed and injured, paying the price for increasing violence by Israeli forces and settlers. Even before the war in Gaza started, 2023 was already the deadliest year on record for Palestinian children in the West Bank. We’ve seen a dramatic rise in violence and use of force – including airstrikes by Israeli forces in refugee camps, detention of Palestinian children, harassment by Israeli forces or settlers and intimidation, including on the way to and during school.  Home demolitions and settler violence are forcing many families from their homes. Severe restrictions on movement throughout  the West Bank and continuing political instability have reduced the ability of families to cope and significantly weakened their access to services, including health care, mental health and psychosocial support, and education services. 

Finally, Palestinian children are the only children in the world who are systematically prosecuted in military courts. These courts consistently fail to offer the right to a fair trial and do not meet international juvenile justice standards, including child safeguarding standards. In the last 20 years, an estimated 10,000 Palestinian children have been held in the Israeli military detention system.  Since 7 October 2023, the number of detained children in the West Bank has risen sharply, with more than 730 children detained. An unknown number of children from Gaza have also been detained.[3][4] Many are being arrested for arbitrary reasons, such as expressing their views on social media or participating in solidarity demonstrations, violating their right to speak out online or offline on issues that affect them.