Israel destroys 69% schools in Gaza sheltering displaced Palestinians

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said that 69% schools in the Gaza Strip, which were sheltering displaced Palestinians, were “directly hit” by the Israeli occupation army.

In a statement issued on Sunday, UNRWA called for an immediate ceasefire, highlighting the severe impact of the Israeli offensive on the besieged territory. 

“This blatant disregard of humanitarian law must stop. We need a ceasefire now,” the agency asserted. 

The data was provided to UNRWA by the Global Education Cluster, which collaborates with humanitarian organisations working within the education sector to aid internally displaced individuals.

Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, around 800,000 students have been forced to abandon their education as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have turned the enclave into ruins, bombing all 12 universities.

The government media office in Gaza reported that 40,000 high school students have been deprived of participating in exams, calling it “an unprecedented violation that threatens their future and undermines their chances of enrolling in local and international universities and colleges.” 

The office also noted that “85% of educational facilities are out of service due to direct and deliberate targeting, posing a significant challenge to resuming the educational process after the war ends.”

The Palestinian administration in Gaza is attempting to mitigate the academic loss by arranging alternative means to help students continue learning and retain necessary concepts and skills.

More than eight months of Israeli assault have created dire conditions in Gaza, with food shortages leading to malnutrition and starvation among children. 

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israel’s military offensive has killed at least 37,598 people.