Ramallah, September 09 (QNA) - The Palestinian Ministry of Education confirmed that the education system is being subjected to an ongoing, unprecedented, and systematic annihilation, particularly in the Gaza Strip, by the Israeli occupation. Thousands of school and university students were martyred, and hundreds of educational facilities were destroyed, representing a major crime against humanity and a clear violation of the right to education.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the ministry explained that the West Bank, including Jerusalem, is witnessing a comprehensive targeting of the education system amid an escalation in violations against staff, students, and educational and academic institutions. This is particularly true in Jerusalem, the northern West Bank districts, the Jordan Valley, Yatta, and the Old City of Hebron, through acts of destruction, raids, and harassment of schools, students, and staff.

The ministry called on the international community, UN institutions, human rights organizations, and education advocates to assume their responsibilities and take urgent action to stop this genocide against Palestinian education. It also called for the protection of schools, students, teachers, and educational and academic personnel in accordance with international laws and conventions. Education is a right, and targeting it is a crime.

The ministry also stressed that this day is an opportunity to shed light on the violations that have affected education in the Gaza Strip, to the point that they amount to educational genocide. (QNA)