SAFA — Five Palestinian students have been killed in a series of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, prompting the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education to sound the alarm over the growing dangers facing children who are being deprived of their most basic rights to life, safety, and education.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that the death toll among students killed in recent attacks had risen to five following the announcement of the death of 15-year-old Majd Mohammed Fakhri Hassan.

The ministry warned that continued Israeli attacks are placing Palestinian children in constant danger, threatening their lives not only in their homes and neighborhoods but also as they travel to and from school.

It stressed that the killing of students must never become a routine headline or another number in Gaza's mounting death toll.

Five Students Killed, Five Futures Stolen

The ministry described the deaths of the five students as a devastating human and educational loss, emphasizing that each child had a fundamental right to grow up safely, pursue an education, and build a future free from violence.

It warned against treating the deaths as ordinary statistics, saying they represent the destruction of young lives and a grave violation of children's rights.

For Palestinian families in Gaza, the dangers facing their children now extend into nearly every aspect of daily life.

Students risk being killed or injured while traveling to school, attending classes, or remaining near their homes and educational facilities.

The ministry emphasized that children should never have to choose between pursuing an education and protecting their lives.

The killing of 15-year-old Majd Mohammed Fakhri Hassan, alongside four other students in recent incidents, has renewed urgent questions about the protection of Palestinian children amid continued Israeli military attacks.

Even the Journey to School Has Become Dangerous

The ministry warned that Israeli attacks have made the ordinary routines of childhood increasingly dangerous.

Going to school, returning home, or gathering near an educational center can expose Palestinian students to gunfire and bombardment.

These threats undermine children's right to education while placing their physical safety and psychological well-being at risk.

The ministry stressed that maintaining educational activities in Gaza cannot be considered meaningful progress if students remain exposed to deadly attacks.

It argued that the right to education cannot be separated from the right to life.

Without effective protection, children cannot safely attend classes, teachers cannot fulfill their responsibilities, and families cannot send their sons and daughters to school without fearing they may never return.

Education Ministry Demands Urgent International Intervention

The Palestinian Ministry of Education called on the United Nations, UNICEF, international human rights mechanisms, children's rights experts, and organizations defending education to take immediate and practical action.

It urged international institutions to move beyond documenting violations and issuing statements of concern.

Instead, the ministry demanded concrete, measurable legal and protective measures to safeguard Palestinian students and reduce their exposure to death and injury.

It stressed the need to guarantee safe access to schools and educational centers and to establish effective protections for children, teachers, and educational facilities.

The ministry also called for independent and professional documentation of attacks against students, thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and accountability for those responsible under international law.

It warned that simply recording casualties while children continue to be killed is not an adequate international response.

Protecting Palestinian Children Is a Legal Obligation

The ministry emphasized that protecting children is not a voluntary humanitarian gesture or a temporary responsibility that arises only after a deadly attack.

Rather, it is a binding legal and humanitarian obligation that requires sustained action.

It called for immediate measures to prevent further attacks against students, protect education workers, and ensure that Palestinian children can continue their studies without facing the constant threat of death or injury.

The ministry reiterated that the international community has a responsibility to translate its commitments to children's rights into meaningful protection on the ground.

Gaza's Children Deserve More Than Condemnation

The ministry concluded with a warning about the lasting consequences of every student's death.

Each child killed represents a future cut short, a family left grieving, and another devastating loss for Palestinian society and its educational system.

The deaths of five students in successive Israeli attacks, it stressed, must serve as an urgent call for international action rather than another episode of violence met with statements and expressions of concern.

The ministry renewed its demand for effective international intervention that places the protection of Palestinian children at the center of global efforts, ensures accountability for attacks against students, and safeguards their rights to life, dignity, and education.

For Gaza's children, the right to learn must begin with the right to survive.

Source : Safa News