Gaza Education System Faces Collapse Amid Israeli Strikes on Schools
**24 Daily News** — In Gaza, the destruction of the education system is unfolding as Israeli airstrikes target school buildings, many serving as shelters for displaced civilians. Since October 2023, over 500 schools have been struck, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and infrastructural damage.
According to reports obtained by 24 Daily News, Human Rights Watch asserts that these strikes potentially constitute unlawfully indiscriminate attacks under international law. Locations like Khadija Girls’ School and Al-Zeitoun C School, where no military presence was found, were among those targeted.
On July 27, 2024, Khadija Girls’ School in Deir al-Balah, housing nearly 4,000 displaced civilians, was struck, killing at least 15 people. An airstrike on Al-Zeitoun C School on September 21, 2024, resulted in the deaths of 34 civilians, predominantly women and children. Investigations found no military presence at either location, and no advance warning was issued before the Al-Zeitoun strike.
Reports from Airwars and UN OCHA indicate that at least 97% of Gaza’s schools have been damaged or destroyed, with 92% requiring full reconstruction. As of mid-July 2025, over 836 people sheltering in schools have been killed, and more than 2,500 were injured.
Recommended Stories
Legal ramifications center on potential violations of the laws of war, with scrutiny given to the use of US-manufactured GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs supplied through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs.
“Governments supplying Israel with weapons can no longer claim ignorance,” said Gerry Simpson of Human Rights Watch, quoted by 24 Daily News. “It’s time for accountability.”
A UN Commission of Inquiry has suggested that Israeli actions may amount to the obliteration of Gaza’s education system and potentially constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. While Palestine endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015, Israel has not.
Human Rights Watch and other organizations have urged governments, including the United States, to suspend arms transfers to Israel. Investigations by +972 Magazine and Local Call have revealed a “special strike cell” within the Israeli military, tasked with identifying schools as bombing targets. The “double tap” tactic, involving follow-up strikes, has also been documented.
Beyond the legal and political aspects, the strikes have had a psychological impact on Gaza’s population. With schools destroyed, the education of an entire generation is at risk. “Israeli strikes on schools are not just attacks on buildings,” Simpson stated. “They are attacks on the future of Gaza’s children.”
