The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continue to target all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip as part of the ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip for the 347th consecutive day.
In this context, the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced on Tuesday that the IOF killed 11,000 school and university students in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since October 7. 17,772 students were also injured.
According to the figures, more than 10,888 students have been killed in the Gaza Strip, while 133 others are killed in the West Bank. As for the injured, their number reached 17,224 in the Gaza Strip, and 548 in the West Bank.
The data also showed that 529 teachers were killed, and 3686 others were injured in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, while more than 129 were arrested in the West Bank and 429 in Gaza.
Meanwhile, 362 schools, universities, and university buildings, and 65 UNRWA-run buildings were bombed and vandalized in the Gaza Strip.
As a result, 124 of them were severely damaged and 62 were completely destroyed. In addition, 69 schools and 5 universities in the West Bank were stormed and vandalized, while 133 schools became used as shelters in the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that 718,000 Gaza’s students are still deprived of attending their schools and universities since the beginning of the aggression, while most students suffer from psychological trauma and face difficult health conditions.
With the outbreak of the devastating Israeli war on Gaza, studies were suspended in the Gaza Strip.
In violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which ensures children’s protection during times of conflict, the Israeli government has killed and injured thousands of Palestinian students. The systematic destruction of schools and educational institutions also constitutes a violation of the right to education under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Human rights organizations and the international community must step in to stop these crimes, protect civilians, and ensure that they have the right to mental health and education. It is also imperative that the perpetrators be held accountable and brought to justice, as these actions violate international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes. The psychological and social effects of these actions on students are the destruction of mental health and well-being, reflecting the enormity of the tragedy endured by an entire generation.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, leaving tens of thousands dead and wounded, most of them children and women, massive destruction of infrastructure, and an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.
