Over 8,900 Palestinian students killed or injured in Gaza conflict
Palestinian school children Abed Al-Qara and Muhammad Al-Fajem inspect their school which was destroyed during Israel's military offensive, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, April 14, 2024. (Reuters)
According to Palestine’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education, since the start of the ongoing war in Gaza, 8,941 Palestinian students have died, and 14,894 have sustained injuries in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
According to the ministry, the war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 8,840 students and injuries to 14,389. In the West Bank, 101 students have been killed, 505 injured and 357 detained.
Furthermore, in Gaza and the West Bank, 497 teachers and administrators have lost their lives, 3,426 have sustained injuries, and over 111 are in detention.
The ministry brought to light the targeting and vandalism of 353 government schools, universities, and buildings in Gaza, as well as 65 buildings belonging to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This has led to the severe damage of 139 facilities, the complete destruction of 93, and the storming and vandalism of 69 schools and five universities in the West Bank. Moreover, 133 government schools in Gaza are being used as shelters.
The Education Ministry further noted that since the conflict began, 620,000 students in Gaza have been unable to attend school, and many continue to suffer from psychological trauma and challenging health conditions.
