Over 90% of Gaza’s schools destroyed by Israeli forces, 658,000 children out of education: UN probe

A recent report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) has raised serious concerns over Israel’s military actions in Gaza, stating that airstrikes, shelling, and controlled demolitions by Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed over 90% of the region’s schools and university buildings, rendering education impossible for more than 658,000 children, many of whom have been out of school for nearly two years.

“Educational facilities in Gaza were attacked by a variety of means, including air strikes, shelling, burning and controlled demolitions. Israeli security forces repeatedly issued statements referring to attack sites as “former educational facilities”, likely in an attempt to absolve the forces from the repercussions surrounding attacks on educational facilities, which are protected sites under international law,” reads the report.

The report also alleged that Israeli security forces directed air strikes against scores of educational facilities, with “no or inadequate advance warning, despite the presence of civilians inside some of the facilities at the time of attacks.’

Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission, said, “We are seeing more and more indications that Israel is carrying out a concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life in Gaza.” She added that the targeting of educational, cultural, and religious life will harm current and future generations, fundamentally undermining their right to self-determination.

The COI also documented that Israeli forces had occupied and converted parts of educational institutions for military purposes. In one case, part of Al-Azhar University’s Al-Mughraqa campus was turned into a synagogue for troops.

 The report acknowledged one instance in which Hamas militants used a school for military activity, a violation of international humanitarian law, which requires clear distinction between civilian and military targets.

According to the report, more than half of Gaza’s religious and cultural sites have been damaged or destroyed, including those used as shelters by civilians. These attacks have killed hundreds, including women and children. 

The Commission observed that Israeli forces knew or should have known the cultural importance of these locations and failed to protect them.

In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the report said Israeli authorities have taken control of cultural heritage sites significant to Palestinians, Jews, and others, often displacing Palestinian residents and restricting their access. 

“The targeting and destruction of heritage sites, the limiting of access to those sites in the West Bank and the erasure of their heterogenic history erode Palestinians’ historical ties to the land and weaken their collective identity,” Navi Pillay noted.

The Commission urged Israeli occupation forces to end the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory, remove all settlers and settlements, and eliminate barriers to Palestinian self-determination. 

It called on Israel to “cease attacks” on cultural, religious, and educational institutions and to fully comply with international humanitarian and human rights law. 

Educational and cultural sites should not be used for military purposes, and all “provisional measures” ordered by the International Court of Justice must be implemented, said the commission.

They also recommended that a “time-bound action plan” be adopted to end “grave child rights violations”, urging Israel to join and implement the Safe Schools Declaration. 

The Commission further stated that Israel must comply with conventions safeguarding “cultural property during armed conflict”, which includes returning seized artefacts and respecting multi-religious and cultural heritage.

 Additionally, they said, victims must receive “effective and prompt remedies”, and independent investigations should be conducted to ensure accountability for all perpetrators.

The Commission also urged Palestinian authorities to protect cultural heritage of all origins and demanded that de facto authorities in Gaza refrain from using civilian structures for military purposes.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlighted the case of a five-year-old malnourished child whose survival depends on access to adequate food and care, stressing that large-scale aid is essential for children’s survival and health.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, expressed alarm over the ongoing delays and barriers to aid delivery. He urged Israel to allow safe and open access for UN operations to distribute humanitarian supplies.

 “This is the only way to avert mass starvation, including among one million children,” he said, describing the current aid system as humiliating and dangerous, with civilians forced to walk miles to access limited aid, often in unsafe conditions.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported that starving civilians intercepted 59 trucks transporting wheat flour to northern Gaza. Another convoy to the south faced a 36-hour delay for clearance. As of June 10, WFP had moved over 700 aid trucks to the Kerem Shalom crossing—still far fewer than the 600–700 trucks per day that entered Gaza during the temporary ceasefire earlier this year.

WFP called for faster approvals, safe passage, and consistent access to ensure aid reaches those in need. It also urged an immediate ceasefire to stabilise conditions and prevent further decline. “The food aid brought into Gaza during the ceasefire helped to push back the tide of hunger. We can do this again,” WFP stated.

The Commission’s findings paint a bleak picture of escalating devastation and hardship in Gaza, with the destruction of vital institutions and obstruction of humanitarian aid deepening the crisis.