Israeli Forces Stripped, ‘Terrorised’, Detained Two Palestinian Children in Occupied West Bank: DCIP

Occupied West Bank (Quds News Network)- A children’s rights group has accused Israeli forces of stripping, humiliating, terrorising and detaining two Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank, after shooting and killing their grandmother earlier this month.

Defence for Children – Palestine (DCIP) said Ibrahim Abu Ghali, 7, and Omar Mohammed Dirar Zaben, 13, were visiting their grandparents’ home on March 10, west of Jenin. Around 4:20 a.m., as their grandmother stepped outside to listen for the call to prayer, Israeli soldiers opened fire, leaving the rest of the family trapped inside.

Soldiers proceeded to detain Ibrahim, Omar, and their grandfather, forcing them to strip down to their underwear at gunpoint. Israeli soldiers bound their hands with plastic ties and held them outdoors, exposed, in cold temperatures, for about an hour. They were then crammed onto the back floor of a military vehicle, still without clothes, before being taken to Jalameh interrogation center.

“Forcing young children to strip, detaining them in degrading conditions, and subjecting them to psychological terror is a clear violation of international law and amounts to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment,” DCIP’s Ayed Abu Eqtaish said.

“The Israeli military’s systematic mistreatment of Palestinian children is not an isolated incident but part of its entrenched system of control and oppression over Palestinians.”

“The soldiers aimed their weapons at us, heightening our fear and confusion,” recalled Omar. “[We] were shaking with terror and anxiety. We complied, stripping down to our underwear, raising our hands to our heads, and slowly moving toward the soldiers and their vehicles. Throughout this ordeal, my cousin and I continued to tremble with fear. I found it difficult to move forward, but I had to stay behind my grandfather to avoid drawing suspicion from the soldiers regarding my compliance. The grip of fear was overwhelming for both of us.”

Israeli soldiers loaded the boys into a cramped cell without a bathroom, where they witnessed other Palestinian detainees being severely beaten, berated and insulted, further traumatizing Omar and Ibrahim.

After nearly 12 hours of “arbitrary detention”, the children were put in the back of a military truck and taken home – still in their underwear – where they discovered their grandmother had been killed by the Israeli gunfire.

Israeli forces continue to detain and harass young Palestinian children, according to DCIP. Israeli forces routinely arbitrarily detain and mistreat Palestinian children during military raids in the occupied West Bank, often using excessive force, degrading treatment, and unlawful detention.

Under international law, children are entitled to special protections, and their detention must be an absolute last resort. However, Israeli forces continue to target Palestinian children with violence and intimidation, violating their fundamental rights with impunity.