UNRWA: 90% of Gaza Schools Destroyed by Occupation During War
The UNRWA reports that around 90% of schools in Gaza were either damaged or destroyed during the recent conflict with Israel.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that approximately 90% of schools in Gaza were adversely affected or destroyed as a result of the recent military conflict. The agency noted that the schools that remain operational in the region have been repurposed as shelters for displaced individuals seeking refuge from the ongoing violence. Many children in Gaza are currently receiving lessons from UNRWA teachers in temporary learning spaces or via digital education methods because of the severe infrastructure damage.
Additionally, the UNRWA highlighted that an Israeli airstrike demolished a school in Jabaliaโa facility that was the last standing structure from a compound that originally included six schools. The destruction of educational facilities has reached an alarming level, with eight of UNRWA's schools reported as destroyed since January. In a related development, UNRWA announced the reopening of the Al-Bureij health center on February 7, which has resumed primary healthcare services in the central region of Gaza, marking an essential step towards restoring normalcy amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The UNRWA has previously warned that the conflict in Gaza has morphed into a different kind of warfare, characterized by persistent humanitarian suffering and the proliferation of diseases linked to the widespread destruction of essential infrastructure. This deteriorating situation poses severe implications for the educational environment and public health in the region, raising urgent concerns over the future of the children affected by this crisis.