Recent attacks on UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip, serving as shelters for displaced persons, have resulted in numerous casualties, including children, sparking international condemnation.
Recent attacks on UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip, serving as shelters for displaced persons, have resulted in numerous casualties, including children, sparking international condemnation.
Recent escalations in the Gaza Strip have drawn global attention due to the distressing attacks on United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools, which have been repurposed as shelters for thousands of displaced persons. These tragic incidents have not only led to significant loss of life but also highlighted the stark breaches of international humanitarian law.
In a poignant statement, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed his deep concern over the ongoing violence in Gaza. He specifically pointed to the alarming trend of Israeli bombardments targeting UNRWA schools.
One such devastating attack was on the Al-Fakhoura UNRWA school in northern Gaza, which resulted in at least 24 fatalities. At the time, this school was housing around 7,000 displaced individuals. This incident marked the second time the Al-Fakhoura school was targeted, with a previous attack on November 4 causing 12 deaths and 54 injuries.
Another tragic event unfolded within 24 hours when the Al-Falah/Zeitoun school in Gaza City was directly struck on November 17, leading to numerous fatalities and injuries. The school was sheltering approximately 4,000 people, and ambulances were reportedly unable to reach the site promptly for assistance.
Lazzarini underscored the increasing peril in Gaza, highlighting that shelters intended to safeguard civilians are being hit, causing substantial casualties, including children. He emphatically stated that these actions violate the rules of war and demonstrate a blatant disregard for human life.
“Most of the facilities hit had families in them including older people, parents, and children. They were all clearly marked as UN buildings carrying a blue flag,” Lazzarini shared.
Since the onset of the conflict, over 176 individuals taking refuge in UNRWA facilities have been reported killed, with nearly 800 injured due to bombardment by Israeli Forces.
At least 17 UNRWA facilities have been directly impacted. Lazzarini contended that the high number of casualties and the targeting of marked UN facilities, which regularly share their coordinates with conflict parties, should not be brushed aside as mere “collateral damage.”
He concluded his statement with an urgent call for a humanitarian ceasefire and a plea for the respect of human lives and international humanitarian law.
The Education Above All (EAA) foundation has also voiced its strong condemnation of the deliberate attacks on educational institutions, particularly the Al Fakhoora and Al- Falah schools, on November 18 and 17, respectively.
These attacks have led to the tragic loss of lives, including women, children, and displaced civilians, with many others injured or missing. EAA regards these incidents as part of a worrying trend of intentionally targeting civilians and critical civilian infrastructure.
EAA emphasized that such attacks, particularly on schools serving as shelters for displaced persons, constitute severe breaches of International Humanitarian Law and violate principles outlined in the Geneva Conventions.EAA has been committed to providing safe education in UNRWA schools in Gaza, including reconstructing and refurbishing the Al-Fakhoora school, previously damaged in 2009 and 2014. The EAA’s Al Fakhoora program, initiated in 2009, honors the victims of previous attacks on the school.
Over the past 43 days of continuous assaults in Gaza, starting from October 7, Palestinian children have experienced both education deprivation and indiscriminate aerial bombardment. This has regrettably resulted in the loss of 4,506 children, with more still unaccounted for. The targeting of schools and children is a grave violation of international law and may constitute war crimes if found to be intentional.
The National Education Union (NEU) has also strongly condemned the recent attacks on schools in Gaza, which have resulted in numerous Palestinian deaths and hundreds of injuries. On November 16, the al-Falah school in Gaza city’s Zeitoun neighborhood was struck, followed by the bombing of the UN-run Al-Fakhoora school in Jabalia refugee camp on November 18, marking its second attack within a month.
These schools were serving as shelters for thousands of displaced Palestinians. Despite schools being protected under international law, similar to hospitals, almost 250 schools have been targeted, with over 45 completely destroyed.
The NEU is calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire to halt civilian casualties and allow uninterrupted humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and basic necessities, into Gaza.
The union expresses solidarity with educators, their unions, and students in the region. Since October 7, over 12,000 Palestinians, including around 4,600 children, have been killed in Gaza. This toll includes over 130 teachers and school administrators, with 403 teachers injured. Additionally, about 1,500 children are reported missing, potentially trapped or deceased under rubble. In the West Bank, over 150 children have been killed.
With the closure of all educational facilities in Gaza, over 600,000 students are currently out of school. Meanwhile, in Israel, over 1,200 Israeli citizens and foreign nationals have been killed, and approximately 239 Israelis, including around 30 children, are reportedly held hostage in Gaza.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the NEU, condemned the attack by Hamas on Israeli citizens on October 7 and called for the immediate and safe release of all hostages. Kebede highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the severe impact on children in terms of safety, mental health, and overall well-being. He stressed the urgent need to cease the bombardment and displacement of civilians in Gaza, calling for a concerted international effort to address the crisis and ensure the protection of human rights.
