The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced today, Tuesday, that more than 11,000 students have been killed and 17,772 injured since the beginning of the Israeli war in October.
In a press statement, the ministry reported that “the number of students killed in Gaza since the start of the aggression has exceeded 10,888, while 17,224 were injured. In the West Bank, 113 students were killed, and 548 others were injured, with 429 arrested,” according to the Palestinian News and Information Agency.
The ministry further noted that “529 teachers and administrative staff were killed, and 3,686 were injured in Gaza and the West Bank, with over 129 detained in the West Bank.”
Additionally, “362 government schools, universities, and university buildings, as well as 65 schools under the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), were bombed and damaged in Gaza. Of these, 124 sustained severe damage, and 62 were completely destroyed. In the West Bank, 69 schools and five universities were raided and damaged. Moreover, 133 government schools in Gaza are being used as shelters.”
The ministry emphasized that “718,000 students in Gaza are still unable to attend schools and universities since the beginning of the aggression, and most students are suffering from psychological trauma and facing difficult health conditions.”
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has dramatically worsened due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023. The conflict has caused massive destruction to civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and healthcare facilities. According to the United Nations and various humanitarian agencies, the situation in Gaza is dire, with shortages of essential goods like food, water, and medicine. Over a million people have been displaced, and thousands of civilians have been killed or injured.
Humanitarian organizations have been calling for a ceasefire to allow for the delivery of much-needed aid. However, the blockade and continuous military operations have hindered efforts to provide relief to the population. The UN has also warned of an impending famine if the situation is not addressed urgently, and many children and families are suffering from severe psychological and physical trauma due to the conflict. The destruction of schools and universities has left hundreds of thousands of students without access to education.
