More Than 8,500 Palestinian Students in Gaza Strip Killed by Israeli Attacks Since October

Illustration of Gaza children. (Wikimedia Commons/gloucester2gaza)

JAKARTA - At least 8,572 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli attacks since October last year, while 100 other students have been killed in the West Bank, the Palestinian news agency said, citing the West Bank-based Ministry of Education.

The ministry said at least 497 teachers and administrators were killed while 3,402 others were injured in the two areas, reported The National News from WAFA on July 3.

Furthermore, since the war on Gaza began on October 7, the Israeli army has destroyed or damaged every university in the strip with airstrikes or controlled demolitions.

According to previous UN figures, about 75 percent of the educational infrastructure in the enclave had been damaged by early January.

Separately, Youssef Salam, a legal researcher at the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, said, "It has been clear since the beginning of this military operation that the Israeli army had plans to strategically attack all educational facilities."

"Schools, universities and homes are categorized as civilian locations by international law and they are prohibited from being targeted," he said, quoted by Tasnim News Agency.

The number of student fatalities is thought to be much higher, due to communication and mobility problems along the strip and the thousands who are still missing or unaccounted for.

On Wednesday, Gaza health authorities confirmed that the number of Palestinian fatalities from Israeli attacks since October 7 had risen to 37,953, while 87,262 others were injured. The majority of the victims were women and children, quoted from WAFA.