UNICEF spokesman James Elder announced that more than 90 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed.
Elder made the comments during an online media briefing at the United Nations (UN) office in Geneva. He said nearly two and a half years of attacks on schools in Gaza have put an entire generation at risk.
"Currently, 60 percent of school-age children in Gaza do not have physical access to education. More than 90 percent of schools have been damaged or destroyed. Over 335,000 children under the age of five face serious risk of developmental delays due to the decline in early childhood services," he stressed.
Elder noted that Palestinians in Gaza had one of the highest literacy rates in the world before October 2023 and that this legacy is now under attack.
"In Gaza, the progress achieved over the years has disappeared"
"Schools, universities and libraries have been destroyed, wiping out years of progress. This is not just physical destruction, but an attack on the future itself. Rebuilding Gaza's schools, educational facilities and universities after this brutal war must be at the top of Gaza's recovery agenda," Elder declared.
He added that they are working with the Palestinian Authority and other partners to ensure that all children in Gaza return to their educational institutions as soon as possible, noting that UNICEF currently supports more than 100 learning centers in Gaza.
Children must be at the heart of any plan in Gaza, he said. "Almost half of Gaza's population is under 18. The annual cost of placing a child in a UNICEF Learning Center, including mental health support, is approximately $280. UNICEF urgently needs $86 million to reach 336,000 school-age children for the remainder of this year," Elder said.
Responding to a question from the Anadolu Agency correspondent regarding the latest situation at the Rafah border crossing, which was said last week to be reopened, Elder said that they are in dialogue with the Palestinians who are eagerly awaiting the opening of these crossings, but that there is great desperation in this regard.
"(Regarding the opening of the Rafah crossing) The simplest answer at the moment is no, it has not opened yet. However, the second phase of the ceasefire means that there will be absolutely no excuse for the Rafah crossing not to open," Elder said.
