The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas was ignited by an unprecedented attack from Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023, resulting in significant Israeli casualties.

Following this attack, Israel launched a large-scale offensive on Gaza, causing extensive humanitarian crises and destabilizing the region.

As a result of the conflict, many UNRWA schools have been converted into shelters for thousands of civilians, while the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Education suspended the 2023-2024 school year on November 6 due to the severity of military actions.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) confirmed that over 625,000 children in Gaza have lost their entire academic year amid the conflict.

Of the 625,000 affected children, 300,000 attended UNRWA schools, many of which have been heavily damaged by military actions.

Constant evacuation orders have displaced 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, complicating access to electricity and creating insecurity that prevents hundreds of thousands of children from attending school.

At least 17,000 children have reportedly died as a result of Israeli military actions since the conflict escalated, contributing to nearly 40,000 total fatalities.

The mental health of children is severely affected by the current situation, as emphasized by UNICEF spokesperson Salim Oweiss.

UNICEF stresses the importance of safe learning environments, as the mental health of children is deteriorating due to the ongoing crisis.

Long-term effects of the conflict may lead to increased violence, exploitation, child labor, early marriages, or recruitment by armed groups.

Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's director, stated that four out of five school buildings in Gaza have been directly attacked or damaged since October.

A ten-year-old girl from Gaza, Orjwan, expressed her dismay over studying in makeshift tents instead of traditional classrooms in a UNICEF video.