Human rights association, Addameer, on Tuesday issued a report revealing the frequent Israeli attacks on children in the Palestinian territories.

Addameer highlighted that the policy of targeting children contravenes basic human rights.

The organization issued a statement accusing the Israeli forces of imposing collective punishment on the Palestinian people, including children, on the pretext of 'security'.

"The murder of Palestinian children is concentrated near the borders of the Gaza Strip, in the north and west," says Addameer.

Seventeen Palestinian children were assassinated in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, between July and August 2007.

In the latest incident, three children from the Abu Ghazal family were killed after being hit by a surface-to-surface missile, while playing near a residential building.

Despite admitting the killing, the Israeli army has not made any attempts to try those responsible for firing the missile.

In recent years, Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinian children, said Addameer. The Israeli army has apologized several times. But, says Addameer, "killing and apologizing" has become an Israeli policy which is adopted to limit the international reaction to the assassinations of children.

Addameer also revealed that currently, 400 Palestinian children, between the ages of 14 and 17, are being detained by the Israeli authorities.