A United Nations team inspected a destroyed school in Khan Younis.
Today, nearly 30 UN human rights experts expressed deep concern about the pattern of attacks on schools, universities, teachers and students in the Gaza Strip and warned of the systematic destruction of the Palestinian education system. The experts noted that these attacks were not isolated incidents, but rather a systematic pattern of violence aimed at destroying the foundations of Palestinian society.
"More than 80 per cent of Gaza's schools have been damaged or destroyed, and there is reason to suspect that there is a deliberate and total destruction of the Palestinian education system, the so-called 'scholasticide'," the experts said. ”
"Academic destruction" refers to the systematic stifling of education by arresting, detaining, or killing teachers, students, and staff, as well as destroying educational infrastructure.
"Academic destruction" destroys hope
After six months of military assault, more than 5,479 students, 261 teachers and 95 university professors have been killed and more than 7,819 students and 756 teachers have been injured, and the number of dead and wounded is increasing day by day. At least 60 per cent of educational facilities, including 13 public libraries, were damaged or destroyed, and at least 625,000 students were unable to access education. On January 17, 2024, the only remaining university in Gaza, Isra University, was destroyed by Israeli forces. United Nations schools for forcibly displaced civilians have also been bombed, even though they are located in "safe zones" designated by the Israeli military.
Without safe schools, women and girls are at increased risk, including gender-based violence. More than 1 million Palestinian children in Gaza are now in need of mental health and psychosocial support, and the scars of war will last their entire lives.
"The ongoing and callous assault on Gaza's educational infrastructure has caused long-term damage to people's fundamental rights to learning and free expression, depriving another generation of Palestinians of their future," the experts said. They also add: "Students who have received international scholarships are also unable to go to university abroad." ”
In addition, 195 monuments, 227 mosques and 3 churches have been damaged or destroyed, including the 150-year-old Central Archives of Gaza. The experts said they were equally appalled by the destruction of Gaza's cultural sector through the destruction of libraries and cultural sites. "The foundations of Palestinian society are crumbling and their history is being erased. ”
Calls for conservation education
The experts called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law and to protect educational institutions, teachers and students. "We remind Israel in particular of its obligation to implement the interim measures ordered by the International Court of Justice on 26 January," they noted. ”
Experts say attacks on education cannot be tolerated. The international community must send a clear signal that those who target schools and universities will be held accountable and that they have an obligation to finance and rebuild the Palestinian education system.
"We have a responsibility to uphold the right to education of Gaza's children and pave the way for a more peaceful and just future," they stressed. ”
Human rights expert
Special rapporteurs and working groups are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanism of the Human Rights Council, dealing with country-specific situations or thematic issues around the world. Special procedures experts work on a voluntary basis. They are not United Nations staff members and do not receive a salary at the United Nations. They are independent from any government or organization and serve the United Nations in their individual capacity.
