Dima al-Wawi

Dima al-Wawi (born 2004) is a Palestinian girl who, in February 2016, became one of the youngest Palestinians to be sentenced by an Israeli military court. She was arrested near the Israeli settlement of Karmei Tzur in the West Bank for attempted manslaughter and possession of a knife. Al-Wawi was 12 years old at the time of her arrest, making her case a focal point for human rights organizations concerned about the detention and prosecution of children in the Israeli military court system.

Her case drew international attention and sparked debate regarding the treatment of Palestinian minors within the Israeli justice system. She was initially sentenced to four and a half months in prison, reduced from an original sentence of several months imprisonment and a fine. She was released early, after about two and a half months, in April 2016. Her release was met with celebrations in her hometown. Following her release, Al-Wawi's story has been cited in various reports and advocacy campaigns highlighting the issue of child detention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.