12,000 students martyred since October 2023: Gaza Education Ministry
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The last functioning university in Gaza was reportedly destroyed by Israeli forces in January, leaving the territory without higher educational institutions.
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Palestinians inspect the rubble of a school destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP)
Gaza's Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that "Israel's" ongoing genocidal campaign since October 2023 has left a devastating toll on students, teachers, and educational infrastructure across the region.
According to the ministry, at least 11,852 students in Gaza have been killed, with 18,959 more injured since the war began in October 2023. In the West Bank, 114 students have reportedly been killed, while hundreds have been wounded.
Educational facilities have been heavily targeted, with 362 government schools and universities in Gaza damaged or destroyed, along with 65 facilities managed by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The war has also affected over 560 teachers and administrators, many of whom have been killed, injured, or detained.
The widespread destruction has left 718,000 students unable to attend school, many of whom are now suffering from trauma and health complications due to the ongoing aggression.
Four in five schools hit directly
UNRWA has reported that nearly 80% of Gaza's educational buildings have been damaged, with four out of every five schools hit directly.
The last functioning university in Gaza was reportedly destroyed by Israeli forces in January, leaving the territory without higher educational institutions.
Many classrooms have become shelters for displaced families, further complicating the educational disruption.
Read more: UN: 30% of schools in Gaza directly bombed by IOF
Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas has called on the international community to intervene, denouncing the Israeli genocidal campaign against Gaza's population, which, among other impacts, is depriving thousands of access to education.
Human rights organizations have also raised alarms, urging a cessation of hostilities and advocating for the protection of civilians and essential infrastructure in the region.
40% of 43,000 killed by Israeli forces in Gaza are children
Gaza's Media Office reported on October 26 that 40% of all those killed by "Israel" are children, with the exact number being 17,210.
The Media Office shared additional details stating that 1,047 medical workers, 85 emergency workers, and 177 journalists have been martyred.
At least 1,206 households have had their entire family members killed by Israeli occupation forces.
As for the effects of the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip and the blocking of crucial humanitarian aid, 37 Palestinians have starved to death, while 3,500 Palestinian children are in life-threatening conditions due to malnutrition.
