UNRWA: 12,000 Palestinian Children Living in Forced Displacement in the West Bank

SadaNews - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated on Sunday that more than 12,000 Palestinian children are living in a state of "forced displacement" in the occupied West Bank due to the ongoing Israeli military operation in the northern provinces.

Since January 21, 2025, the Israeli army has been conducting a military operation in the northern West Bank called "The Iron Wall," which began in the Jenin camp and then expanded to the Nur Shams and Tulkarm camps.

The Israeli forces have imposed a blockade on the three camps, with widespread destruction of infrastructure, homes, and shops, leading to the displacement of about 50,000 Palestinians, according to official data.

Through its account on the "X" platform, UNRWA noted that "more than 12,000 children are still living in a state of forced displacement in the West Bank."

It added that it launched an emergency educational program in February 2025 for displaced children in northern West Bank to ensure the continuation of their education through temporary educational spaces, remote learning, and psychological and social support.

The agency indicated that about 48,000 Palestinian children are studying in its schools in the West Bank.

Since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip on October 8, 2023, which has lasted for two years, the Israeli army and settlers have intensified their crimes in the West Bank, including the killing of Palestinians, the demolition of homes, the displacement of their owners, and the expansion of settlement construction.

These operations have also included occupied Jerusalem, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 1,105 Palestinians, with around 11,000 injured, in addition to the arrest of more than 21,000.

The war in Gaza has left over 71,000 martyrs and 171,000 injured Palestinians, most of them children and women, with destruction affecting about 90% of civilian infrastructure, and the United Nations estimated the cost of reconstruction at around $70 billion.