UNRWA: 660,000 Children in Gaza Unable to Attend School for Third Year

Kokcha News Agency – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has revealed that 660,000 children in Gaza have been unable to attend school for three consecutive years as a result of Israel’s prolonged genocidal war.

In a written statement, UNRWA emphasized, “The war in Gaza is a war on children, and it must be stopped. Children must always be protected.” The agency highlighted the importance of children’s right to education, stating, “660,000 children have been out of school for three years due to the war.”

UNRWA warned that “children in Gaza are at risk of becoming a lost generation,” calling for an immediate ceasefire and urging that children be allowed to return to their schools and lives.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced on August 28 that the new academic year in the occupied West Bank would begin in early September. However, the ministry noted that approximately 700,000 students in Gaza have been forced to suspend their education after two years of deprivation and targeting, while 70,000 students have been unable to attend high school for two academic years.

According to the ministry’s latest statistics, from October 7, 2023, to August 26, 2025, Israel has killed over 17,085 primary, secondary, and high school students, as well as more than 1,261 university students, in Gaza. Additionally, over 25,213 school students and 2,671 university students have been injured.

In the same period, in the West Bank, Israel has killed approximately 108 school students and 35 university students, injured around 739 school students and over 231 university students, and detained 372 school students and more than 413 university students.

Regarding the targeting of educational staff, the ministry reported that Israel has killed 739 school teachers and 226 university staff in Gaza, while injuring 3,091 school teachers and over 1,421 university staff.

In the West Bank, the Israeli army has killed five school teachers, injured approximately 21 people, detained over 182 individuals, and arrested around 17 university staff.

Israel, with the support of the United States, has continued its genocidal practices in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including massacres, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, while ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt its attacks.

As a result of the genocide, 63,371 Palestinians have been killed, with 159,835 injured, most of whom are children and women. Over 9,000 people are missing, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and 332 people, including 124 children, have died due to famine.