RAMALLAH (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education has reported devastating losses in the education sector as a result of Israel’s ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip and military aggression in the West Bank.
Since October 7, 2023, at least 16,607 Palestinian students have been martyred, with over 26,000 others injured, the ministry said in a statement released Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the vast majority of student deaths—more than 16,470—occurred in Gaza alone, with 25,374 injuries reported. In the West Bank, 137 students were martyred, 897 wounded, and 754 students arrested by Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
The assault on education extends beyond students. The ministry reported that 914 teachers and school administrators were martyred in both Gaza and the West Bank, with another 4,363 injured. At least 196 educators have been arrested by the IOF in the West Bank.
The physical destruction of the educational infrastructure has been equally catastrophic. In Gaza, 352 government schools were severely damaged, including 111 completely destroyed. IOF also bombed and vandalized 91 government schools and 89 UNRWA-run schools, according to the report.
Furthermore, 20 higher education institutions sustained heavy damage, while 60 university buildings were entirely demolished.
In the West Bank, 152 schools and eight universities were raided and vandalized. The IOF reportedly bulldozed the walls of schools in Jenin, Tulkarem, and the towns of Bruqin and Kafr al-Dik near Salfit.
The Ministry emphasized the psychological and educational toll on Gaza’s youth, stating that 788,000 students have been denied access to schools and universities since the beginning of the war.
For the second consecutive year, high school students in Gaza will be unable to sit for their final exams due to the destruction and insecurity. In contrast, the West Bank plans to proceed with high school exams starting Saturday, June 21, 2025.
The Ministry also condemned the ongoing closure of six UNRWA-run schools in Jerusalem and its suburbs by the Israeli occupation authorities since May 8, further impeding Palestinian students’ right to education.
International human rights groups and UN agencies have repeatedly warned that the destruction of educational infrastructure and the targeting of students and educators may constitute war crimes under international law. Despite this, attacks on Palestinian schools and universities continue with little international accountability.
