Along with its ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip for the 144th day, the Israeli occupation continues its attacks and violations in the West Bank, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) at dawn Tuesday killed three young Palestinians in Tubas and the Al-Faraa camp, south of the city.
The victims were identified as Ahmed Daraghmeh, 26, Jabr Al-Zalt, 31, and Muhammad Samih Bayadsa, 32. Three other youths were injured during the raid.
Late Monday, the IOF, along with some bulldozers, stormed Al-Faraa camp and deployed its snipers in different streets, amid sounds of explosions.
The Israeli forces went on the rampage through the camp, bulldozing its roads and infrastructure, raiding homes, and assaulting local residents.
Later, the IOF troops stormed Tubas and opened fire on Palestinian citizens.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that the IOF obstructed their work and prevented its crews from transporting the dead bodies.
Meanwhile, official data revealed that the IOF has killed 5,424 Palestinian students and injured 9,193 others since October 7, 2023, in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, including the city of Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Ministry of Education stated that more than 5,379 students were killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, and 8,888 others were injured during the same reported period, while 48 students were killed, and 305 others were injured in the West Bank. 97 students were also arrested during the same reported period.
255 teachers and administrators were also killed, and 891 others injured in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, 6 teachers and administrators were injured, and more than 73 others were arrested.
According to the ministry, 286 state-run and 65 UNRWA-run schools were bombed and vandalized in the Gaza Strip, severely damaging 111 of them and completely destroying 40 others. In the West Bank, 57 schools were stormed and vandalized, and 133 state-run schools were used as shelter centres in the Gaza Strip.
The ministry further confirmed that 620,000 students in the Gaza Strip are still deprived of enrolling in their schools since the start of the aggression, while most of the students suffer from psychological trauma and difficult health conditions.
The Israeli targeting of thousands of Palestinian students is a flagrant violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees their protection in times of conflict. The systematic destruction of schools and educational institutions also constitutes a violation of the right to education as guaranteed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
The psychological and social impact of these actions on students represents a destruction of mental health and well-being, reflecting the enormity of the tragedy endured by an entire generation. Since these actions amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law, and since there must be international accountability to ensure that there is no impunity, the international community and human rights organizations must step in to stop these crimes, protect civilians, and guarantee students’ rights to mental health and education.
Since October 7, 2023, the IOF has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, resulting in catastrophic humanitarian and health conditions, due to the continuous bombing and the prevention of supplies of food, water, medicine, and electricity.
The Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights, as it exposes the lives and property of civilians to extreme danger, which requires urgent intervention from the international community to stop the aggression and protect civilians in the Gaza Strip.
This international community must force the IOF to adhere to international laws and treaties on human rights and international humanitarian law. They must be obliged to protect the rights and lives of civilians, prohibit their targeting and preserve their safety, and punish the leaders responsible for committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere.
