SAFA — Israeli attacks killed 14 Palestinian children and four public-school teachers in the Gaza Strip during October 2026, while four additional university employees and academics were also killed, according to a report by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

The ministry condemned Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza’s education sector as a “blatant violation” of international conventions and treaties, warning that the destruction of schools, the killing of students and educators, and restrictions on essential educational supplies threaten the future of an entire generation.

In its monthly report documenting Israeli attacks on the education sector, the ministry said the ongoing assaults are undermining the foundations of education and deepening the devastation inflicted on Palestinian society by Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The ministry warned of “catastrophic consequences” if attacks on students, teachers, and educational institutions continue, stressing that thousands of Palestinian children are being deprived of their right to education as Gaza’s school and university systems struggle to survive.

Children and Teachers Among October’s Victims

According to the ministry, 14 Palestinian children and school students were killed during October in Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling, gunfire, and other attacks.

The victims were identified as Misk Hazem al-Dallu, 6; Tahani Shallalfa, 6; Fatima Hisham al-Buyuk, 8; Jouri Islam al-Sufi, 7; Yamen Hisham Saqr, 8; Abdul Rahman Khalil Awad, 10; Mohammed Hossam Shahin, 12; Bara Mohammed Marouf, 14; Walid Mohammed Shakshak, 14; Tamer Shadi Subh, 14; Mohammed Riyad Abu Hammad, 14; Majd Mohammed Hassan, 15; Rafif Raed Lebd, 16; and Nimer Marwan Barbakh, 16.

Four public-school teachers were also killed, the ministry said, identifying them as Mahmoud Quffa, Wael Muslim, Diaa Abu al-Roos, and Ahmed Abu Ouda.

The report separately documented the deaths of three staff members at the Islamic University of Gaza—Shadi Abu Attaya, Sami Baroud, and Ashraf Dahlan—during an Israeli strike on the university campus while classes were taking place. Several students were also wounded.

In another incident, Dr. Yasmin al-Boubou, an academic at the University of Palestine, was killed when an apartment building was bombed.

Beyond the fatalities, the ministry recorded numerous injuries among children, university students, teachers, and education workers caused by Israeli airstrikes, artillery fire, and live ammunition, including attacks affecting schools and temporary classrooms established in tents.

Israeli Gunfire and Blockade Disrupt Education

The ministry reported that continued Israeli gunfire near the so-called Yellow Line, along the separation barrier and in access-restricted areas, has repeatedly disrupted educational activities across Gaza.

The affected areas include southern Khan Younis, eastern Deir al-Balah, eastern al-Bureij, and northern Gaza, where students and teachers face serious risks while traveling to schools or attending classes.

The report also highlighted the impact of restrictions on border crossings, which have prevented Palestinian students awarded scholarships abroad from leaving Gaza to continue their university education.

According to the ministry, these restrictions threaten students’ academic futures and deny them opportunities to pursue higher education outside the devastated territory.

Israeli restrictions have also prevented the entry of essential materials needed to rehabilitate damaged schools, establish temporary classrooms, and restore educational services.

The ministry said the restricted supplies include construction materials, tents for temporary classrooms, school furniture, computers, laboratory equipment, stationery, printing materials, and tools required for vocational training, early-childhood education, and programs for students with disabilities.

Restrictions on fuel and motor oils have further disrupted the education sector by preventing transportation services from operating and forcing generators that power classrooms, laboratories, and water-desalination facilities out of service.

The ministry warned that these shortages are severely undermining teaching, learning, and academic research at a time when educational institutions are struggling to recover from widespread destruction.

More Than 97% of Gaza’s Schools and Universities Damaged or Inoperable

The Palestinian Ministry of Education reported that more than 97% of Gaza’s schools and universities have been completely destroyed, damaged beyond use, or otherwise rendered inoperable.

The figure reflects the devastating impact of Israeli attacks on the territory’s educational infrastructure and the enormous challenges facing efforts to restore schooling.

The ministry warned that even the remaining educational facilities and makeshift classrooms continue to face the threat of further damage and attack.

In one recent incident, an Israeli strike on a residential building in the al-Saftawi area of Jabalia completely destroyed the Little Smile kindergarten, while the resulting blast severely damaged the nearby private al-Zahraa School.

The ministry stressed that the destruction of educational facilities has deprived thousands of Palestinian children of safe learning environments, leaving many without functioning classrooms, educational materials, or access to regular schooling.

Psychological Trauma Threatens an Entire Generation

Beyond the destruction of buildings and the loss of life, the ministry highlighted the severe psychological consequences of continued Israeli attacks on Gaza’s children and educators.

It said repeated bombardments, displacement, the loss of relatives and friends, and the constant threat to life have left students and teachers struggling with fear, anxiety, and accumulated trauma.

The report described children and educators as living under conditions of “continuous fear, panic and accumulated trauma,” warning that the absence of safety and stability is undermining their concentration, emotional well-being, and ability to learn.

For thousands of Palestinian children, the school environment has been replaced by displacement shelters, temporary tents, and damaged buildings, while the ongoing threat of Israeli attacks continues to disrupt attempts to resume education.

The ministry warned that prolonged interruptions to schooling, combined with psychological trauma and the destruction of educational institutions, threaten to inflict lasting damage on the educational and intellectual foundations of Palestinian society.

Ministry Calls for Urgent International Action

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education called on the international community, the United Nations, and human rights and humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently to protect Palestinian students, teachers, and educational institutions.

It urged international pressure on Israel to halt attacks affecting the education sector and allow the entry of all materials and equipment needed to repair schools, rehabilitate universities, and restore educational services.

The ministry also stressed the need to ensure that Palestinian children can safely return to learning and that educational institutions receive the resources necessary to continue operating.

It warned that without urgent intervention and accountability, continued attacks, restrictions, and destruction will deepen Gaza’s educational crisis and jeopardize the future of generations of Palestinian students.

Source : Safa News