Gaza:Six Palestinian students were killed, and others injured, in Israeli attacks in Gaza over the past two days, According to Education Ministry's statement on Wednesday. The situation worsened as two schoolgirls were wounded by Israeli gunfire at a school in the northern part of the enclave.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the assaults occurred nearly a month after in-person classes resumed in Gaza on September 19, following a prolonged disruption due to what the ministry described as Israel's genocidal war. The ministry reported that Israeli military vehicles opened fire at Muradiya Girls' School in Jabalia on Wednesday, injuring two students, Souad Qandil and Amna Khaled Ali Khader. Souad, a sixth grader, was shot in the thigh and required surgery, while Amna, a fourth grader, suffered abdominal injuries.
The Education Ministry did not provide further details on the health conditions of the two girls or the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the other six students. However, it emphasized that the incident is part of a "serious and ongoing escalation" targeting Palestinian students and children. The ministry warned that repeated attacks on schools and students are undermining the foundational aspects of the education system in the Gaza Strip.
The ministry stressed the importance of schools as safe havens for learning and condemned the targeting of students, which deprives them of their fundamental right to education. It urged the United Nations and relevant international and human rights organizations to intervene promptly to protect students and educational staff, stop attacks on schools, and hold those responsible accountable.
Figures from the Palestinian Education Ministry indicate that the new academic year is expected to accommodate approximately 541,000 students in Gaza through about 700 in-person educational sites, as well as online learning, despite significant destruction to educational infrastructure. Since October 2023, Israel's actions have resulted in the deaths of more than 74,000 Palestinians and injuries to over 175,000 others, while destroying around 90% of the enclave's civilian infrastructure.