These schools, including those in Jerusalem, are staffed by 51,447 teachers. However, the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip has left hundreds of thousands of students unable to join their peers for the second consecutive year.

Since the escalation of violence on October 7, 2023, more than 630,000 students in Gaza have been deprived of access to education. Additionally, 58,000 children who were supposed to start first grade this year and 39,000 students who missed their high school exams are among those affected.

The war on Gaza has had devastating consequences for the region's education system. Over 25,000 children have been killed or wounded, including more than 10,000 students. Nearly 90% of Gaza's 307 government schools have been destroyed or heavily damaged.

Many UNRWA-run schools in Gaza have been repurposed as shelters for displaced families, with around 200 schools turned into temporary refuges. Of these, 70% have been bombed, with some completely destroyed. UNRWA reports that four out of every five school buildings in Gaza have been directly impacted by the ongoing conflict. (ILKHA)