The Gaza Strip, a small and densely populated territory, has become the epicenter of one of the most severe humanitarian crises of our time. Between 2023 and 2025, ongoing armed conflict has devastated lives, communities, and infrastructure. Yet, amidst the widespread suffering, one of the most tragic and overlooked consequences is the systematic assault on education and childhood. Schools, libraries, universities, and cultural centers have been caught in the crossfire, undermining not just the rights of children but also the future of an entire society.
The Stark Reality: Children and Education Under Attack
Recent comprehensive studies by United Nations agencies reveal that around 50,000 children in Gaza have been killed or injured during this conflict, making it one of the deadliest war zones for children globally. Children here are not just victims of crossfire; they face deliberate violence, loss of family, displacement, malnutrition, psychological trauma, and lack of access to basic services like food, water, and healthcare.
The right to education, a vital foundation for recovery and resilience, has been severely compromised. Over 320 schools have been forced to serve as shelters for displaced people, many of which have also been targeted by military strikes resulting in destruction and further instability. Universities and cultural sites, critical centers of learning and identity, have suffered similar fates, leaving thousands of students unable to pursue their studies.
In addition to physical destruction, the blockade imposed on Gaza has created a dire humanitarian situation. Interruptions in electricity and communications have made distance learning nearly impossible. The destruction of media broadcasting infrastructure isolates families and children from vital information and educational content.
Table 1: Types of Violence Impacting Education and Rights in Gaza (2023–2025)
| Kind of Violence | Reported by UNRWA | UNICEF | UNESCO | OCHA | UN Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injuries and deaths | X | X | X | X | X |
| Lack of food, water, and housing destruction | X | X | X | X | |
| Lack of medical assistance | X | X | X | X | |
| Lack of freedom and detentions | X | X | |||
| Economic hardship | X | X | |||
| Orphanhood and family separation | X | X | X | X | |
| Psychological trauma | X | X | X | X | |
| Forced displacement | X | X | X | X | X |
| Blocked humanitarian aid | X | X | |||
| Gender-based violence and inequality | X | ||||
| Targeting schools and educational institutions | X | X | X | ||
| Attacks on cultural heritage and infrastructure | X | X |
The Human Toll: Victims Beyond Numbers
The victims of this violence are predominantly children, from babies less than a year old to adolescents, many of whom have lost one or both parents. Children with disabilities face severe barriers, and girls confront heightened risks, including gender-based violence and limited access to health and hygiene services.
Teachers, school counselors, and educational workers are also directly affected—grappling with trauma, working under extreme conditions, and facing threats to their own lives and those of their families.
Even Israeli children have been victims, particularly during surprise attacks, though the scale of assaults against children in Gaza remains unprecedented.
The Educational Response: Resilience Amidst Ruin
Despite the overwhelming challenges, efforts continue to keep education alive in Gaza. United Nations agencies such as UNRWA, UNICEF, and UNESCO have implemented emergency education programs. These initiatives include psychosocial support, recreational activities, and basic literacy and numeracy classes, often integrated to help children cope with trauma.
Makeshift schoolhouses and homeschooling have become temporary solutions for many displaced students. However, persistent issues like electricity shortages, lack of internet access, military attacks, and ongoing displacement severely limit the reach and effectiveness of these efforts.
International funding remains inadequate. In 2025, only 17% of the $4 billion humanitarian aid requested for Gaza and the West Bank was disbursed, putting immense pressure on both education services and wider community support systems.
Table 2: Measures Taken to Protect Education and Support Children (2023–2025)
| Measures | UNRWA | UNICEF | UNESCO | OCHA | UN Women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychosocial and recreational support | X | X | X | ||
| Economic and human resource mobilization | X | X | X | ||
| Educational programs (distance learning, etc.) | X | X | X | ||
| Political advocacy for ceasefire and aid access | X | X |
A War on Identity and Future: Scholasticide and the Pedagogy of Cruelty
This conflict in Gaza does not merely result in collateral damage but reveals a deeper, concerning pattern identified as “scholasticide” — the deliberate destruction of educational ecosystems as a strategy of cultural and identity extermination. By targeting schools, libraries, universities, and cultural heritage sites, the aggressors aim to dismantle the Palestinian people’s capacity for learning, critical thinking, and cultural transmission.
The concept of “pedagogy of cruelty” describes how armed conflict becomes a brutal form of social control, desensitizing combatants and normalizing violence. The impact of this cruel pedagogy is devastating not only physically but mentally and culturally, shaping generations with trauma and loss.
Moreover, feelings of abandonment are widespread among Gaza’s children, who see the international community’s limited response and inaction as another form of violence. Political silence or hesitance, particularly by influential bodies like the European Union, has deepened this sense of neglect.
International Legal Protections and Their Limitations
International legal frameworks explicitly prohibit attacks on civilians, children, and educational institutions under humanitarian law and classify such acts as war crimes. Instruments like the Geneva Conventions, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Rome Statute provide strong legal protections.
Despite this, the enforcement remains weak. The continuation of violence, forced displacements, and destruction of civilian infrastructure underscores the gap between law and reality. Calls for sanctions, arms embargoes, and political pressure remain urgent but have yet to result in effective change on the ground.
What Awaits Gaza’s Children?
The reconstruction of Gaza’s education system alone is estimated to require over $53 billion. Without peace and uninterrupted humanitarian access, the prospects for children’s education and well-being remain bleak.
Nonetheless, the unwavering determination of educators, communities, and international actors to preserve education amid war sends a hopeful message. To save the future of Gaza’s children, the world must act decisively—ending the violence, prioritizing children’s rights, and investing in education as a pathway to recovery and dignity.
Reference: here