In the military courts, the ages of the minors are determined in accordance with the day on which they stand trial and not their ages at the time of their arrests or when the offenses were committed. This difference serves to their detriment. There are no acquittals in the military courts. In almost all the cases, fines as well as prison sentence are imposed. The youngest Palestinian detainee held at these installations was 10.
Most detainees are boys.
With regard to the West Bank, where there have been hundreds of instances, the IDF spokesman is unable to say how many minors have been arrested since last September and how many files have been passed on to the military prosecutor. All the minors that have stood trial in the West Bank and Gaza have been convicted. Most of them have been charged with offenses such as throwing stones, disturbing the peace, burning tires and leaving the area without permits. The sentences range from a few days up to a year in jail, while the fines imposed were anywhere from NIS 250 to NIS 3,000. Those unable to pay their fines are required to serve additional time, which is determined at the sentencing hearing.