oPt: Education for 1.5 million Palestinian children disrupted for fourth academic year

All 1.5 million school-aged children in the occupied Palestinian territory are being denied their right to a safe and quality education for a fourth consecutive academic year, said Save the Children on International Day to Protect Education from Attack [1]. Nearly three years since war started in Gaza, almost all school buildings (97.5%) are damaged while 86% of 649 kindergartens assessed have either been destroyed, sustained damage, or are located in inaccessible areas [2], according to new Save the Children data. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, more than 834,000 school-aged children do not have access to safe and quality education, according to the Education Cluster, of which Save the Children is a member. Since the start of the school year on Sunday 8 September, Israeli forces have killed at least two school-aged children in Gaza and raided schools in the West Bank, according to news reports. Saadi Ghaliya, 7, was killed when Israeli forces attacked Sukaina School east of Deir al-Balah, and Wafaa Akila, 8, was killed alongside her father in western Gaza when an Israeli strike hit their car as the returned home from school. Israeli forces raided two schools in Nablus this week and forced school administrations to remove Palestinian flags. Save the Children said Israeli military attacks on schools, students and teachers, restrictions on movements, and state-backed settler violence against students and teachers are grave violations of the fundamental right to education under international law. The demolition, confiscation, and closure of schools and education infrastructure are also violations of this right. Despite all the challenges, Palestinian children said they are determined to continue their education. “We are all in agreement to continue in our right to education and we have very big hopes to continue and achieve our ambitions,” said Lama, a 13-year-old student in the West Bank. "For me, school is not just maths and Arabic. School is life”, said Amjad, a 13-year-old student from Gaza. Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said: “As children around the world return to school, reconnect with their classmates, and settle into new routines, Palestinian children continue to face barriers that deny them safe and consistent access to education. “The impact extends far beyond missed school days. For Palestinian children, schools are places of learning, protection, psychosocial support, and social development. Their loss has profound consequences for children's wellbeing, cognitive development, and future life chances. Young children are missing critical developmental milestones; older students face interrupted examinations, delayed graduation, and shrinking opportunities to pursue further education. “This systematic dismantling of Palestinian education is denying an entire generation of its right to learn and the opportunities, dignity, and future that education makes possible." Save the Children has worked in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1953, with a permanent presence since 1973. We work with partners to help provide quality education, protection for children, early childhood development support, and employment opportunities for young people. Four Palestinian children have reportedly been killed and several injured by Israeli forces over the past six days, including a 10 year old in a tent in Gaza today, said Save the Children. The child rights organisation called once again for urgent international intervention. Homes, schools, health facilities and infrastructure have been completely destroyed in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. The war on Gaza since the 7 October attacks on Israel by Palestinian armed groups has resulted in horrendous consequences for children. More than 13,800 children in Gaza have been killed, as well as 106 children in the West Bank and 33 children in Israel. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. Homes, hospitals and schools have been destroyed. More than 1.7 million people have been displaced. Now, more than one million children face the imminent threat of famine. Amidst extremely challenging conditions, Save the Children staff and partners have been working around the clock to support the most vulnerable children and families. Sacha Myers / Save the Children At least 19 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territory so far in July, with four children reportedly killed in Gaza this morning, with attacks near-daily despite a ceasefire. Kareem* is a 16-year-old boy living in a rural village in the West Bank. On his way to school, he is often harassed and sometimes attacked by settlers, who have torn his schoolbooks and stolen his bag. What was once an easy walk to class has become “the path of fear,” forcing him to take long and difficult routes over mountains. Despite living in such a hostile environment, Kareem* finds joy in playing football with his friends and remains determined to stay on his land. Students supported by Save the Children have been blocked from entering their school by an illegal barbed-wire fence, erected by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.