UN: Over 70 percent of Gaza schools suffer devastating impact from Israeli attacks

(MENAFN) According to a report released by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Monday, over 70% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been directly affected by Israeli military actions since October 2023.

The UN agency highlighted that “about 88% of schools in Gaza require reconstruction or major rehabilitation,” a concerning statistic indicated that “this includes 162 UNRWA schools that once served hundreds of thousands of boys and girls.”

UNRWA expressed deep concern over the ongoing Israeli conflict's toll on Gaza, noting that it has led to the displacement, trauma, and denial of educational rights for Palestinian children. “Education in Gaza is a casualty of war,” the agency stated.

The situation has worsened due to the renewed Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which commenced on March 18 following a previous ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in January.

This statement from the UN agency comes amid reports of significant casualties, with nearly 51,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, having lost their lives in Gaza since October 2023.

In related developments, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Furthermore, Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning its actions in the region.

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