Gaza Schools Reopen After 16 Months, Over 100,000 Students Enroll Amidst Devastation and Ongoing West Bank Concerns

More than 100,000 students in Gaza have enrolled in school following the start of the new academic year on February 23, according to a UN spokesperson on February 28, 2025. 165 public schools have reopened, marking the first in-person learning experience in 16 months for most students. Statistics indicate that 85 percent of schools in Gaza are inoperable due to bombings. Since October 2023, at least 12,800 students and 800 educational staff have been killed, with 1,166 educational institutions destroyed, resulting in over $2 billion in losses. The UN also described the situation in the occupied West Bank as deeply alarming, citing ongoing Israeli operations leading to casualties, displacement, and hindered access to critical services. A ceasefire took effect in Gaza on January 19, halting military actions that resulted in over 48,360 Palestinian deaths. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli officials for war crimes, and Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).