Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a report stating that Israeli forces have bombed over 500 schools in the Gaza Strip since the conflict began in October 2023. These schools were being used as shelters for displaced civilians. The attacks have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians and have severely damaged or completely destroyed nearly all of the schools.
According to the organization’s Thursday statement, the strikes on schools-turned-shelters are part of a broader military campaign that is “systematically destroying much of Gaza’s remaining civilian infrastructure.” This has led to the re-displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and has significantly worsened the already dire humanitarian crisis.
HRW emphasized that the attacks on schools underscore the lack of safe zones for Gaza’s displaced population, who make up the majority of the territory’s residents. The organization also pointed out that the strikes have not only eliminated safe havens but will also impede access to education for years to come, as repairing and rebuilding the damaged schools will require extensive time and resources.
In its statement, HRW called for an immediate arms embargo on Israel, along with other urgent measures to enforce the UN Genocide Convention.
