Gaza: A group of 22 United Nations human rights experts has strongly condemned Israel’s recent attacks on schools in the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, describing the actions as grave violations of international law.
The protest specifically addresses the deadly airstrikes on a UNRWA-run school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza on May 7, which killed at least 30 civilians, including women and children, as well as the forcible closure of all six UNRWA schools in occupied East Jerusalem on May 8.
The experts emphasized that attacks on schools are attacks on children and their fundamental right to safe education. They underscored that such assaults constitute blatant violations of international humanitarian law, especially given the context of what they termed an unlawful occupation. In Gaza, the UNRWA shelter was struck twice, impacting a building sheltering approximately 2,000 displaced people, causing significant civilian casualties.
In East Jerusalem, heavily armed Israeli forces raided three UNRWA schools located in the Shu’fat refugee camp during active class sessions. More than 550 Palestinian children, some as young as six years old, were violently expelled from their classrooms. By the end of that day, all six UNRWA schools in the area had been evacuated, severely disrupting education and creating further instability for the Palestinian community.
The experts reminded that Israel lacks the legal authority to carry out these actions, citing a ruling by the International Court of Justice which mandates that Israel is obligated to end its occupation of Palestinian territories. This collective rebuke highlights international concern over the ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure and the broader humanitarian crisis in the region. The UN experts called for immediate cessation of violence against educational institutions and respect for the rights and safety of children living under occupation.
