The United Nations has warned that Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip are facing a devastating educational crisis, with the new school year set to begin amid ongoing Israeli aggression and the continuation of a harsh blockade.

During a press conference on Wednesday, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated that for the third consecutive year, children in Gaza will be deprived of their right to education. “The children of Gaza will lose the opportunity to learn for the third year in a row. Education is a fundamental right and no child should be deprived of it,” he said.

Dujarric emphasized that schools must be reopened and that all efforts should be made to ensure that Palestinian children can exercise their right to education. He warned that the prolonged disruption threatens “the future of an entire generation in Gaza,” leaving children at risk of being permanently deprived of the knowledge and skills needed to build their lives and communities.

The UN’s statement highlights the ongoing humanitarian consequences of Israel’s blockade, which has restricted access to educational materials, infrastructure repair, and safe learning environments. The agency called on the international community to act immediately to protect the educational rights of Gaza’s children and to ensure that decades of deprivation do not rob them of their future.

With millions of young Palestinians already traumatized by years of conflict, the blockade’s impact on education is compounding a growing generational crisis. Advocates warn that without urgent intervention, an entire generation of children may face long-term setbacks in literacy, social development, and opportunities for advancement. (ILKHA)