The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education revealed on Tuesday a devastating toll on the education sector, reporting that 16,382 students have been killed and over 23,500 injured since the beginning of Israel’s military assault on the Gaza Strip and West Bank on October 7, 2023.

In a statement detailing the impact of the ongoing Israeli aggression, the Ministry said 16,245 student deaths occurred in the Gaza Strip alone, with 25,959 injured, while in the West Bank, 137 students were killed, 897 injured, and 749 detained by Israeli forces.

The human cost extends beyond students. The Ministry confirmed that 917 teachers and school administrators have been killed and 4,347 wounded in both Gaza and the West Bank. At least 196 education workers have been detained in the West Bank.

Educational infrastructure has also suffered catastrophic damage. In Gaza, 443 government and university buildings, as well as 91 UNRWA-run schools, have been bombed or vandalized. Sixty university buildings were completely destroyed, and 20 other educational institutions sustained severe damage. In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided and vandalized 152 schools and eight universities.

The Ministry also highlighted the impact on students' right to education. For the second consecutive year, high school students in Gaza have been prevented from sitting for their final exams. In the West Bank, schools in Nablus were closed on Tuesday due to ongoing Israeli military incursions.

Additionally, six UNRWA schools in Jerusalem have remained closed since May 8, 2025, further disrupting education for Palestinian students amid worsening humanitarian conditions.

The Ministry’s report underscores what many international human rights groups have called a systematic assault on Palestinian education, with lasting implications for generations of students affected by the war. (ILKHA)