Around 540,000 children in Gaza returned to in-person classes on Saturday for the first time in nearly three years, attending classes in damaged or makeshift school buildings and tents. For many families, school uniforms, notebooks and pens remain unaffordable.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 98% of schools in Gaza were either destroyed or damaged during Israeli bombardment, while education officials in Gaza estimate that around 660,000 students have been deprived of in-person learning and regular access to education.
The reopening of schools marks a “milestone” for Gaza following what the director of education in eastern Khan Younis described as a genocide that has killed around 22,000 students and more than 770 education workers, including 532 teachers.
Around 22,000 students and more than 770 education workers, including 532 teachers, have been killed in Israeli attacks.
The Israeli military continues to control more than 60% of Gaza, while Israeli strikes continue almost daily despite a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect in October 2025.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire, while Palestinian authorities say more than 73,000 people have been killed since October 2023.
Source:Reuters
