What happened
Save the Children says all 1.5 million school-age children in the occupied Palestinian territories are entering a fourth consecutive academic year without access to secure, adequate education. The organisation links the disruption to damage to education facilities, restrictions on movement and violence affecting pupils and teachers.
In Gaza, Save the Children reports that 97.5% of school buildings have sustained damage. It also says that, among 649 kindergartens assessed, 86% have been destroyed, damaged or are situated in locations that cannot be reached.
The Education Cluster Working Group, which includes Save the Children, estimates that more than 834,000 school-age children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, cannot obtain safe and adequate schooling. The source further reports raids on schools in the West Bank by Israeli forces.
Media reports cited by the organisation said that at least two school-age children were killed in Gaza after the academic year began on 8 September.
Why it matters
The loss of education infrastructure has consequences beyond missed lessons. Save the Children identifies schools as places where children receive learning, protection, psychosocial assistance and opportunities to develop socially.
According to the organisation, prolonged interruption can affect children’s wellbeing and cognitive development. Younger children may miss important developmental stages, while older pupils can face disrupted examinations, postponed graduation and reduced prospects of continuing their studies.
Save the Children characterises military attacks, movement restrictions and violence directed at students and teachers as serious infringements of the right to education under international law. It also identifies the destruction, seizure and closure of schools and education facilities as violations of that right.
What to watch
The available material provides no timetable for restoring education access, rebuilding facilities or introducing a funding programme. Organisations monitoring humanitarian and social risks can track whether access improves in Gaza and the West Bank, alongside the condition and reachability of education facilities.
The reported figures indicate that the immediate challenge is both physical damage and the ability of children, teachers and school operators to reach functioning learning spaces. The impact will remain relevant as the academic year progresses.
