Jaradat is among 24 children killed in Israeli airstrikes on the West Bank since last summer, marking a shift in Israeli military tactics as drones, planes, and helicopters are increasingly used for attacks in the occupied territory.

While global attention remains focused on Israeli operations in Gaza, which have drawn accusations of genocide, similar tactics have emerged in the West Bank. The Israel Defense Forces have defended these strikes as targeting terrorists, but nearly half of those killed were children.

An investigation documented at least 37 Israeli airstrikes, drone strikes, and helicopter attacks in the West Bank since June 2023, resulting in 55 Palestinian deaths, according to the United Nations.

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Targets often included densely populated urban areas and refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nablus. Many of those killed were children, some involved in confrontations and others not. Ages ranged from 11 to 17, based on information from news outlets, the State of Palestine’s Negotiations Affairs Department, and the Israeli military, with additional data from Defense for Children International-Palestine.

These airstrikes are part of a broader Israeli strategy of targeted killings, which have raised concerns about compliance with international law. The escalation began in June 2023 and has since continued, despite criticisms of civilian casualties. The IDF has not responded to requests for comment on the findings.

As of now, airstrikes and ground incursions persist in the West Bank, prompting ongoing scrutiny over their human rights implications and legal justification.

Read more at The Intercept.