By Bunmi Yekini
In October alone, at least 64 attacks on schools in Gaza were recorded, nearly two per day, according to UNICEF and its partners. These schools, many of which serve as shelters for displaced children and families, were repeatedly hit in a series of violent strikes that left an estimated 128 people dead, including many children.
“Schools should never be on the frontlines of war, and children should never be indiscriminately attacked while seeking shelter,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “The horrors we are seeing in Gaza are setting a dark precedent for humanity, one where children are hit with bombs at record numbers while looking for safety inside classrooms. Trauma and loss have become their daily norm.”
The attacks in October add to a growing toll, bringing the total to 226 attacks on schools since the conflict began last year. Over one million children have been displaced in Gaza in the last 14 months, with nearly half of the October attacks concentrated in northern Gaza, where intense bombardment and widespread displacement are straining aid supplies and pushing children to the brink.
As protected spaces under International Humanitarian Law, schools in Gaza are entitled to safety from attack. However, more than 95% of Gaza’s schools have suffered partial or complete destruction, and at least 87% will require extensive reconstruction.
The violence has also disconnected at least 658,000 school-aged children from formal learning, leaving their futures clouded with uncertainty. Russell stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire and respect for humanitarian law: “Every day this violence continues, more lives are shattered, and more futures are lost. Parties to the conflict must respect International Humanitarian Law and safeguard schools and civilian spaces. Children must be shielded from harm, and their right to education must be upheld, even amidst conflict.”
UNICEF has called on all parties to end grave violations against children, halt attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, and uphold protections for schools as sanctuaries in times of conflict.