Gaza city: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) estimated that since October 7, 2023, Israel, the occupying power, has been killing the equivalent of a classroom full of children each day, with the number of students ranging between 35 and 45.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Acting Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, Sam Rose, stated, "Every single day since the start of the war in Gaza, on average, a classroom full of children has been killed." Before the outbreak of the conflict that has transformed most UNRWA-run schools into shelters for displaced people, the number of students per classroom ranged between 35 and 45, depending on the level of overcrowding.
Children have been significantly affected by the ongoing violence, which has persisted for more than 21 months. During this period, over 18,000 children have lost their lives, and about 16,854 of them have been admitted to hospitals, as reported by medical sources.
In addition to the violence, children in the Gaza Strip endure hardships due to repeated displacement, as well as scarcity of food and water resulting from the destruction of resources and the blockage of border crossings. UNRWA highlighted in July of this year that children in Gaza constitute half of the population of 2.4 million, and their lives are characterized by war and destruction.
The Israeli aggression on Gaza has resulted in more than 197,000 civilians being killed and injured, mostly children and women. Over 11,000 individuals remain missing, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced. The resulting famine has claimed numerous lives, including many children.
