800,000 students in Gaza deprived of education amid Israeli genocide
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40,000 secondary students who "will not be able to participate in this year’s session of the high school exams, representing an unprecedented violation."
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Palestinians walk through the destruction left by the Israeli air and ground offensive after they withdrew from Khan Younis. (AFP)
Gaza's Government Media Office said Saturday that at least 800,000 children have been deprived of their right to education as the war on Gaza rages for the 261st day.
Gaza's Ministry of Education released a statement, cited by the Office, detailing that over "800,000 students of various educational levels in the Gaza Strip have been deprived of their right to education since Oct. 7 last year, due to the genocidal war being waged by the criminal Zionist occupation on the Gaza Strip."
Of these students, the statement listed 40,000 secondary students who "will not be able to participate in this year’s session of the high school exams, representing an unprecedented violation that threatens their future and undermines their chances of enrolling in local and international universities and colleges."
Meanwhile, fifty thousand students attended final high school test rooms, known as "Tawjihi", in West Bank governorates and Palestinian schools abroad while students in Gaza were unable to take the examinations due to the Israeli offensive.
The Gaza Media Office stated, "85% of educational facilities are out of service due to direct and deliberate targeting, posing a significant challenge to efforts to resume the educational process after the war ends."
The Office revealed plans and efforts to allow students to make up for the year to ensure the "academic year is not lost and that they possess the essential concepts and skills necessary for their continued learning."
The number of Palestinians killed since the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza on October 7 has risen to 37,598 and those injured to 86,032, the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip confirmed on Sunday.
In its daily report, the Health Ministry stated that the Israeli occupation forces committed three massacres in 24 hours, killing a total of 47 people and injuring 121 others.
It is noteworthy that thousands of victims still remain under the rubble and on the roads, as ambulance and civil defense crews are unable to reach them on account of them being repeatedly targeted by the IOF, or due to the destruction of vehicles and tools used to clear the rubble.
Between scholasticide and genocide, 'Israel' rendering Gaza unlivable
In a concerning development, the Global Education Cluster has highlighted that over 76% of schools in Gaza require immediate reconstruction or substantial rehabilitation to resume functioning, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees UNRWA posted on X.
Despite these challenges, UNRWA affirmed its commitment to providing essential learning activities to students, emphasizing the critical importance of education as a fundamental human right.
In #Gaza, over 76% of schools need reconstructing or require major rehabilitation to be functional again, according to @GlobalEdCluster.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 21, 2024
Despite this, @UNRWA teams continue to reach children with play & learning activities.
Education is a fundamental human right.#CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/G0cWR9NWDw
In its post, UNRWA reiterated its call for a ceasefire, stressing the critical need for stability to facilitate the rebuilding of essential services and infrastructure in Gaza.
Last month, a Geneva-based rights group accused "Israel" of deliberately demolishing schools and medical facilities, including those operated by UNRWA, during its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
According to a statement released by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med), Israeli attacks destroyed several schools and a medical clinic in Gaza City's al-Zaytoun neighborhood, forcing numerous families to be forcibly displaced.
Euro-Med condemned "Israel's" militarization of civilian buildings like hospitals and schools, in violation of international law. It called on the international community to pressure "Israel" to halt attacks on schools and safeguard educational institutions in Gaza from further military assaults.
In April, UNRWA said that it uncovered thousands of pounds of explosives inside schools and on roads after Israeli troops pulled out from Khan Younis.
