Over 625,000 Gaza children out of school for months amid Israeli war: UNRWA

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 29 (APP): More than 625,000 children in besieged Gaza have not attended school for more than eight months as Israel continues with its deadly attacks on the densely-populated enclave, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

In a social post, the UN agency said there were 300,000 UNRWA students before the Israeli war in Gaza.

“Play and learning activities provided by UNRWA teams are critical in preparing children to get back to school and restore their right to education,” the UN agency said, posting photos of UNRWA staff training Gazan kids.

The Israel military has been attacking non-stop for nearly nine months now, killing at least 15 thousand children, in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Israel has also imposed a total blockade on the strip that has cut the flow of food, clean water, and medicine to the shattered enclave.

The Israeli military is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Avive to halt its offensive in Rafah immediately.

Last Saturday, the Gaza Government’s Media Office said in a statement that at least 800,000 students of various educational levels have been deprived of their right to education in the region.

It said about 40,000 high school students will not be able to take this year’s exams, which endangers their opportunities in local and international higher education.

“40,000 high school students from various branches will not be able to participate in this year’s session of the high school exams, representing an unprecedented violation that threatens their future and undermines their chances of enrolling in local and international universities and colleges,” the media office added.

The media office said, “85 percent of educational facilities are out of service due to direct and deliberate targeting, posing a significant challenge to efforts to resume the educational process after the war ends.”

It said plans have been implemented to make up for the academic year for students to ensure that the academic year is not lost and that they possess the essential concepts and skills necessary for their continued learning.