Three female childcare workers, including the director of a facility in Ariel in the occupied West Bank, were charged with aggravated assault and violence against at least 17 babies and toddlers, according to prosecutors. The youngest children were six months old, and more than 400 incidents were alleged. The accusations included shaking and tying up children, locking them in dark spaces, and obstructing their breathing with paper or cloths. Some children reportedly became disoriented and lost their balance.

The alleged abuse came to light after a mother discovered injuries to her child. The three suspects appeared in court, where parents confronted them before security personnel took them away. They deny or have not been reported as denying the allegations.