The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that more than 8,000 of its teachers in the Gaza Strip are ready to help children return to learning and resume their studies.
UNRWA said in a statement posted on social media on Saturday that it is the largest humanitarian organization operating in the Gaza Strip and must be allowed to carry out its duties without any hindrance. It added that “the children of Gaza have been deprived of education for far too long,” stressing the need to enable them to return to school as soon as possible.
Palestinian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Ahed Bseiso, had previously confirmed that the recent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip left widespread destruction affecting most vital sectors. He pointed out that the occupation deliberately targeted the Palestinian mind and human capital with the aim of creating a knowledge vacuum and exterminating an entire generation.
Ahed Bseiso explained that 1,660 schools were destroyed, 70 percent of which were completely destroyed, while the rest sustained partial damage, rendering them out of service. Seven universities were also destroyed, depriving approximately 785,000 Palestinian students of their right to education.
