In the narrow, labyrinthine alleyways of the Dheisheh refugee camp, three children grapple with a reality defined not by school or play, but by the persistent shadow of military occupation. For Yanal, 14, Mustafa, 13, and Diyar, 12, the experience of childhood is marked by the recurring trauma of Israeli military raids that leave little room for normalcy.
The siblings describe an environment where the boundaries between public space and combat zones have dissolved. Yanal, who speaks three languages, recounts the anxiety of being trapped on a football pitch as soldiers swarmed the area. His peers echo this sentiment, describing sudden outbursts of live fire and tear gas that force them to navigate danger simply by walking to a relative’s home.
This atmosphere of instability is backed by alarming statistical evidence. According to data from the first nine months of 2025, Israeli forces conducted nearly 7,500 raids across the occupied West Bank—an average of 27 per day. This represents a staggering 37 percent increase in military activity compared to the same period in 2024, leaving families in a constant state of hyper-vigilance.
The personal accounts of these children mirror findings released this week by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In a report titled “The essence of childhood has been destroyed,” investigators documented the catastrophic impact of the ongoing conflict, noting that more than 20,000 Palestinian children have been killed and over 44,000 wounded since October 2023.
For young residents of Dheisheh, these figures are not abstract data points; they are their lived experience. Diyar, who frequently has her piano lessons interrupted by the chaos of tear gas and nearby violence, notes the stark contrast between her life and the safety she witnesses children enjoying in other parts of the world. “We can’t even leave our front door without suffering,” she says.
The report highlights that the psychological toll of these raids is profound and lasting. As the frequency of incursions rises, children in the West Bank are increasingly robbed of the stability required for healthy development, with their memories dominated by fear and the aggressive presence of armed forces.
Summary:
1. UN report documents widespread harm to children under occupation.
2. West Bank raids have surged by 37% in 2025, averaging 27 per day.
3. Children in Dheisheh camp report recurring trauma from military presence.
4. Over 20,000 Palestinian children killed since October 2023.
5. The report concludes that the fundamental essence of childhood is being destroyed.
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