Gaza: About 300,000 Palestinian students are set to resume classes in Gaza under the auspices of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, despite an ongoing blockade by Israel that has impeded the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars in aid into the region.
According to Anadolu Agency, the UNRWA has made arrangements to restart the educational process for these students, with Adnan Abu Hasna, the agency's media advisor, indicating that this number is expected to grow.
Approximately 10,000 students will attend in-person classes in schools and shelters, while the majority will engage in remote learning due to the infeasibility of enduring two years without formal education, compounded by the prior impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Abu Hasna noted that 8,000 teachers will be involved in the program's execution.
The educational activities in Gaza were halted on October 8, 2023, following the onset of what was described as Israel's genocide in the enclave. The disruption saw most UNRWA and government schools repurposed as shelters for displaced families, with numerous others being destroyed or severely damaged.
Data from the Palestinian Education Ministry highlights the extent of destruction, with 172 government schools destroyed, 118 others bombed or damaged, and over 100 UNRWA-run schools affected. The ministry also reported that 17,711 students have been killed since the genocide began, with 25,897 injured, alongside the deaths of 763 education-sector employees and injuries to 3,189 others.
Abu Hasna outlined plans for revitalizing 22 central clinics in the Gaza Strip and mentioned extensive logistical preparations, including food distribution points and a workforce with significant experience. However, he condemned Israel's obstruction of the relief effort, pointing out the lack of access to essential supplies such as shelter materials, blankets, winter clothing, and medicines.
He further warned that 95% of Gaza's population now depends on humanitarian aid after losing their livelihoods, with conditions worsening swiftly. The urgency of bringing in aid is underscored by the plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals living in exposed conditions following a ceasefire agreement on October 10.
The ceasefire, brokered between Israel and Hamas with a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, included exchanging hostages and prisoners and envisioned the reconstruction of Gaza along with a new governance structure excluding Hamas. Since October 2023, Israeli assaults have claimed the lives of nearly 68,000 Palestinians in Gaza, predominantly women and children, leaving the area largely uninhabitable.