Arabic version: استخدام القوات الإسرائيلية للغاز المسيل للدموع ضد الأطفال في الضفة الغربية خلال اعتصام

Israeli forces have fired teargas at Palestinian schoolchildren holding a sit-in in the occupied West Bank after settlers blocked their access to school. According to The Guardian, the incident occurred in Umm al-Khair, a small village in the southern West Bank region of Masafer Yatta, coinciding with the children’s return to classes for the first time in more than 40 days.

Schoolchildren gathered near a barbed wire fence erected by Israeli settlers, which obstructed their path to school. During the sit-in, intended as an open-air class to demand access, Israeli troops intervened, leading to the deployment of teargas. Witnesses reported panic among the children, with one 12-year-old, Sarah al-Hathaleen, recounting her fear as the canisters were thrown.

Bassam Jabr, the director of education for the Masafer Yatta area, confirmed that the children were staging a sit-in at the time of the incident. He highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the community, stating that settlers are attempting to restrict access to schools and expand their settlements.

The Israeli military justified the action by describing the gathering as “unusual” and stated that troops were dispatched to disperse it. They claimed no injuries were reported during the incident. However, footage from the scene depicted children fleeing in fear as teargas canisters were launched.

The Masafer Yatta region has a history of settler violence and Palestinian home demolitions, with tensions escalating since the outbreak of the Iran war. More than 500,000 Israelis reside in settlements throughout the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law, amidst a Palestinian population of about 3 million.

The community in Umm al-Khair continues to seek solutions to ensure their children can safely return to school, with Jabr stating that the sit-in would persist until a resolution is found.