The report highlights global trends regarding the impact of armed conflict on children in 23 locations, including Israel and Palestine. In 2013, the UN documented 107 cases representing 15 per cent of the total number of children detained by the Israeli military during the year, and found evidence of cruel and degrading ill-treatment in every case. The UN noted that children are still forcibly transferred in violation of international law.

This report reviews progress made in implementing the 38 recommendations made by UNICEF in the report - Children in Israeli Military Detention. One year on, MCW concludes that although there have been a number of key changes in the system in recent years, 87 per cent of UNICEF's recommendations remain un-implemented and ill-treatment still appears to be "widespread, systematic and institutionalised".

This report covers human rights abuses 2013. As in previous years, the Report identifies as problems the excessive use of force against civilians, including killings; abuse of Palestinian detainees, particularly during arrest and interrogation; austere and overcrowded detention facilities; improper use of security detention procedures; demolition and confiscation of Palestinian property.

This report reviews progress made in implementing the 40 recommendations contained in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office funded report - Children in Military Custody - prepared by a delegation of leading UK lawyers in 2012. The UK report found breaches of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Fourth Geneva Convention. Eighteen months on, MCW reviews progress.

The Working Group made recommendations relating to the treatment of children in military detention. There were specific recommendations relating to the inequality of treatment under Israel's military and civilian legal systems; night arrests; the use of restraints; solitary confinement; denial of legal representation; confessions in Hebrew; and the audio-visual recording of all interrogations involving children.

This Bulletin is UNICEF's first update since the publication of the 2013 report - Children in Israeli Military Detention - which concluded that ill-treatment appeared to be "widespread, systematic and institutionalised." Based on recent evidence collected by UNICEF it appears that ill-treatment still appears to be widespread, systematic and institutionalised 7 months on.

This submission highlights the discriminatory application of law in the West Bank. The legal foundation for the report is based on the principle that no state is permitted to discriminate between those over whom it exercises penal jurisdiction based on race or national identity. In spite of this principle, Palestinians living in the West Bank are subject to Israeli military law, whereas civilian law is applied to Israeli settlers.

This report considers 56 testimonies from minors who reported abuse during interrogation at the Etzion interrogation centre. The violence included slaps, punches and kicks to all parts of the body, and blows with objects, such as a gun or a stick. Some of the former interrogatees also reported threats: in twelve cases, they claimed that the interrogator had threatened them or female relatives with sexual assault.

In its Concluding Observations of Israel's periodic reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee recognised Israel's security concerns but expressed deep concern at the treatment of children held in military detention. The Committee expressed concern that children continue to be arrested in the middle of the night; and are often subjected to torture and/or ill-treatment leading to coerced confessions.

The report highlights global trends regarding the impact of armed conflict on children in 21 locations, including Israel and Palestine. In all 115 cases documented by the UN the children held in Israeli military custody reported being subjected to cruel and degrading ill-treatment. The UN also noted that 21 boys (18 per cent) were held in solitary confinement ranging from 1-20 days inside Israel.