The United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has denounced in strongest terms the Israeli killing of Palestinian school children during deadly raid on the West Bank city of Jenin.

ency identified the children as a 15-year-old boy who was a Grade 9 student at the UNRWA-run Jenin Boys Preparatory School, and a 14-year-old girl in Grade 8 at the Jenin Girls School.

The events on June 19 also caused extensive damage to at least 75 refugee homes.

“UNRWA is continuing to assess damage and disruptions to its installations and services,” it said.

The UN agency expressed alarm at the rising number of deaths among Palestinians across the occupied territories.

“UNRWA has already recorded the highest number of Palestine Refugee fatalities, including the highest number of child refugee fatalities, in a single year since 2005 when the UN started systematically documenting them. The highest refugee fatality figures prior to this year were recorded in 2022,” the statement noted.

“Immediate measures are needed to avoid further escalating violence within refugee camps and prevent further loss of life,” the UN agency said.

Tensions have been running high in the occupied West Bank over the past year, with the Israeli military carrying out violent raids under the pretext of arresting what it calls “wanted” Palestinians.

These attacks have resulted in nearly 170 Palestinian deaths, including 28 children, and many arrests in 2023.

Human rights groups have documented several cases of Israeli soldiers shooting peaceful Palestinian protesters across the occupied territories. Palestinians demand that such cases be brought to international courts and that Israelis be held accountable for their atrocities.