Schools in Gaza Remain Closed for Third Year: 785,000 Students Deprived of Education

Kokcha News Agency – In Gaza, schools and classrooms have either been turned into shelters for Palestinians repeatedly displaced by Israel’s relentless attacks over the past two years or reduced to rubble. Ismail Thawabteh, Director of the Media Office in Gaza, highlighted the dire state of education in the region, stating, “The Israeli occupation has deprived approximately 785,000 students of education for the third consecutive year.”

Thawabteh further emphasized that 25,000 teachers are unable to practice their profession due to Israel’s systematic cultural and educational genocide. He noted that over 95% of schools in Gaza have been damaged, with more than 90% completely destroyed and in need of reconstruction or repair.

“Israel has directly targeted 622 school buildings, which constitutes about 80% of the schools in the region,” Thawabteh said. He added that 163 schools, universities, and educational institutions have been completely destroyed, while 388 have been partially damaged.

Thawabteh also pointed out that 70% of the schools used as shelters for displaced Palestinians have been damaged, with the most severe destruction occurring in northern Gaza and Rafah.

The human cost of these attacks is staggering. Thawabteh revealed that 13,500 students, 830 teachers, and 193 scholars, academics, and researchers have been killed in Israeli attacks. He described this as “the systematic targeting of the right to education and the deprivation of future generations.”

Thawabteh called on the international community to urgently act to stop these crimes and hold the occupying forces accountable for their actions against students, teachers, and educational infrastructure.

Personal Stories:
Nine-year-old Jouri Muhenna from Gaza City shared her longing for school, saying, “I miss my school and my friends. I want to write on the classroom board again.” Her mother expressed the challenges of accessing education through the e-learning system introduced by the Gaza Ministry of Education, citing constant displacement, electricity cuts, and poor internet access.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Abu Deif, a high school student, lamented the destruction of his educational aspirations, stating, “I was about to finish high school and move on to university, but Israeli attacks have completely shattered my academic life.”

International Response:
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), highlighted that nearly 1 million children in Gaza are experiencing deep psychological trauma and are deprived of education.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also warned in August that Israel’s attacks on schools would disrupt education for years to come.