Education Under Siege: Over 12,800 Students Martyred and Schools Devastated in Gaza Amid Israeli Aggression
The Palestinian Ministry of Education revealed on Tuesday the devastating toll of Israeli aggression on students, educators, and educational facilities in Gaza and the West Bank.
In Gaza, more than 12,701 students have been killed, with an additional 20,702 injured since the onset of the aggression. The West Bank has also faced significant losses, with 119 students martyred, 649 injured, and 542 detained by Israeli forces.
The impact on educators has been equally catastrophic. In Gaza and the West Bank, 619 teachers and administrative staff have been killed, 3,831 injured, and 158 detained.
The Ministry detailed the widespread destruction of educational facilities. In Gaza alone, 171 government schools have sustained severe damage, 77 have been completely destroyed, and 191 subjected to bombing and vandalism. UNRWA schools have not been spared, with 65 severely damaged. Additionally, 20 higher education institutions have been significantly affected, with 51 university buildings completely destroyed and 57 partially damaged.
In the West Bank, 109 schools have been vandalized, while seven universities and colleges have faced repeated incursions, resulting in extensive damage and tampering with their contents.
The Ministry underscored that 788,000 students in Gaza remain unable to attend school or university due to the aggression. Many students are grappling with severe psychological trauma and deteriorating health conditions.
The ongoing war, initiated by Israel on October 7, 2023, followed the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, launched in response to decades of Israeli aggression. Since then, the death toll in Gaza has risen to over 45,338, with the majority being women and children, and over 107,764 injured. Thousands remain missing, presumed buried under rubble.
Israel’s blockade has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, preventing lifesaving supplies, including food, medicine, fuel, and shelter, from entering Gaza. Critical infrastructure, including water networks, sanitation systems, and bread mills, has been systematically destroyed, further deepening the suffering of the besieged population.