Over 650,000 Gaza children out of school for 3rd year: UN agency

By Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Thursday that over 650,000 children are deprived of education in the Gaza Strip for the third consecutive year.

“In Gaza, children are out of school for a third year in a row,” UNRWA said on the US social media company X. "For nearly 660,000 girls and boys, returning to learning is not only about education, it’s about starting to heal from deep trauma."

As the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, UNRWA stands ready to support them, the agency added.

Tamara Alrifai, UNRWA director for external relations, said a "priority for UNRWA is the education for children and the resumption of learning for children."

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it largely uninhabitable.

The assaults have partially or completely destroyed 97% of Gaza’s school buildings, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

A ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas last week, based on a plan presented by US President Donald Trump. Phase one included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.