UN-partnered analysis indicates that about 212 schools have been hit by the intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza in response to Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, last year.
There has been a near nine per cent increase in attacks on school premises since mid-February, according to a report by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and NGOs, the Education Cluster and Save The Children.
Report also says “The high trend of attacks on school facilities has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza amid intense Israeli bombardment from air, land, and sea across much of the Gaza Strip.”
Of the 563 school buildings in Gaza, 165 of the 212 that received a direct hit are in areas designated for evacuation by the Israeli military.
Data indicates that 62 schools were directly targeted in southern Khan Younis governorate, 14 in the Middle Area governorate, 94 in Gaza governorate, and 42 in North Gaza governorate – which is the most severely affected area to date, with 86.2 per cent of school buildings either directly hit or damaged.
“No education is happening in Gaza at all for nearly six months,” UNRWA said on Wednesday, upon publication of the UN-partnered report, which pointed to more than 625,00 students and 22,000 teachers attending school before October 7, 2023.
Once conflict ends, at least 67% of schools in Gaza “will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again”, the report’s authors maintained.
The UN-backed report also notes that more than 320 school buildings have been used by displaced people as shelters since the October 7, 2023 escalation. Of these facilities, 188 have been either directly hit (90) or damaged (98).
RN