Israeli military raids in West Bank force communities into lockdown, keeping children out of school
Israeli military operations have forced entire communities in areas of the northern West Bank into lockdown in their homes, keeping children out of school, jeopardising family incomes and increasing risk of physical violence and child detention from the Israeli military, Save the Children said.
Save the Children has been forced to halt its remedial education classes and child protection work, including mental health support, in these areas, with no indication of when programmes might be able to resume. This will put critical support out of reach for over 700 children, the child rights organisation said.
The latest raid follows two years of increased Israeli military use of force in the West Bank, and record attacks by Israeli settlers last month.
According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 11 November 2025, 995 Palestinians - among them at least 219 children - were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
One in every five Palestinians killed by Israeli forces so far in 2025 across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was a child, according to the UN. Last week the UN said that more than 12,000 Palestine refugee children remain forcibly displaced in the northern West Bank, unable to return to their homes in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps.
Ameer*, project co-ordinator for a Save the Children partner organisation working in child rights and education programming in the area, said:
"What’s happening now in the Tubas area is a systematic assault by Israeli forces and a continuation of the Israeli government’s collective punishment policy. The operation is cutting off children from the key services and supplies they rely on and need, including education and health services. Every child in these areas is being denied the right to an education.
"At the same time, in these areas, public infrastructure like roads and public utilities are being destroyed, which will delay and prevent the community from easily recovering once the Israeli forces withdraw from the area in the coming weeks and months, shattering their sense of normalcy."
Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said:
"Our staff in the occupied Palestinian territory work under incredible pressure to deliver for children. For these children, our education classes represent hope for a future of opportunity, as well as time to learn, play and develop socially - elements of childhood that are critical to healthy development.
"While attention has been focused on Gaza we must not take our eyes off child rights violations in the West Bank. All children deserve to go to school and have the fulfilling and productive futures it helps to unlock. Education is a right, as is a safe environment.
"Restrictions on aid, settler violence, demolitions, land confiscation, and the destruction of essential infrastructure including donor-funded infrastructure - are creating a coercive environment that is making daily life unliveable for Palestinian families. The futures of an entire generation are being jeopardised."
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.
As the situation for Palestinian children in the West Bank worsens, Save the Children is continuing its long-term work while also stepping up support to meet growing needs. In response to mass displacement caused by military operations and settler violence, we are prioritising the delivery of essential items and cash support to families, providing mental health care for children, caregivers and frontline workers, and creating safe spaces where children can play and learn.
* Name changed.