More than 210 schools 'directly hit' by Israeli attacks in Gaza: UN report

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Israel "directly hit" 212 schools in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, a UN-partnered analysis said Wednesday.

Satellite imagery pointed to at least 53 schools that have been "totally destroyed" since the conflict erupted and a nearly 9% increase in attacks on school premises since mid-February, according to a report by the UN Children’s Fund, (UNICEF), the Education Cluster and Save The Children.

The report said the "high trend of attacks on school facilities" has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Of the 563 school buildings in Gaza, 165 of the 212 that received a "direct hit" are in areas designated for evacuation by the Israeli military, it said.

"Data indicates that 62 schools were directly targeted in southern Khan Younis governorate, 14 in the Middle Area governorate, 94 in Gaza governorate, and 42 in North Gaza governorate – which is the most severely affected area to date, with 86.2 per cent of school buildings either directly hit or damaged," said the report.

More than one in two school premises run by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, or UNRWA, have also been hit since Oct. 7, according to the report.

"No education is happening in Gaza at all for nearly six months," UNRWA said Wednesday.

- 'Military use of schools' by Israel

Additional findings derived from the satellite imagery and other sources "provide evidence for military use of schools" by Israeli Security Forces (ISF) "since the beginning of the escalation," according to the report.

"This includes 'several concerning reports, pictures and videos showing that schools are being used for military operations by ISF, including use as detention, interrogation centres and military bases.'

"Satellite pictures in the report also showed military tanks, their tracks and craters from shelling in school premises in February," it added.

The report noted that more than 320 school buildings, 188 of them directly hit and 98 damaged, have been used by displaced residents as shelters since Oct. 7.

Once the conflict ends, at least 67% of schools in Gaza "will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again,” it said.

Israel has waged its military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7 in which 1,139 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,200 Palestinians have since been killed and the onslaught has led to mass destruction, displacement and starvation.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling by the Court in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.