Child rights group Defence for Children International said that Israeli forces have imprisoned more Palestinian children than ever before under Israel’s controversial “administrative detention” laws, as of the end of December 2024, according to Al Jazeera.

The arrest and imprisonment of 112 Palestinian children “without charge or trial” comes amid escalating Israeli military operations in the occupied West Banks since October 2023, and the number is the highest since Defence for Children began monitoring “child administrative detainees” in 2008.

Israeli forces were holding 300 Palestinian children in prisons by the end of last year, including 112 in administrative detention, Defence for Children said.

“Palestinian children held under administrative detention orders are not presented with charges, and their detention is based on secret evidence that is neither disclosed to the child nor their attorney,” the organisation said.

“Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes between 500 and 700 children in military courts each year that lack fundamental fair trial rights,” it added.