Emma Wagner | Thursday 28th November 2024

The ongoing conflict in Gaza, occupied Palestinian territory, has inflicted unprecedented and potentially irreversible harm on Palestinian children, with consequences that threaten not only their individual futures but the very fabric of Palestinian society for generations to come. To safeguard these children’s futures and prevent further irreparable damage, urgent and comprehensive action from the international community is needed.

625,000 school-age children in Gaza remain out of school for a second year and 96% of all school buildings have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli airstrikes since October 2023. 

It is becoming increasingly apparent, including through evidence in Save the Children’s new report – Missing Futures – that the systematic undermining of children’s rights as enshrined in IHL and international human rights law, is impacting children’s learning now and therefore their futures. 

Below are five ways, that the erosion of children’s rights is affecting children’s learning. These are the loss of schools, a lack of new-born and maternal care, harm from explosive weapons, starvation and dehydration and mental harm. 
 

1. Loss of Learning Facilities & the Services they Provide  

The extended period out of school significantly increases the risk of students never completing their studies. From 2019 to August 2024, children in Gaza have lost at least 14 months of schooling, equivalent to about two academic years, due to closures related to COVID-19, the escalation in May 2021, and the current war. Without a ceasefire, losses could extend up to 5 years. Research has shown that each year of schooling lost can result in up to a 10% reduction in future earnings. With an entire generation out of school, the cumulative effect could have considerable consequences for the Palestinian economy in the long-term. However, studies demonstrate that if education is resumed as a priority, some years of learning lost could be offset and protection risks can be reduced.

Without access to lifesaving education in emergencies programmes, children cannot access school meals, have reduced access to lifesaving learning and WASH facilities, and fewer opportunities to receive psychosocial and mental health support.

UN Special Procedures experts have raised concerns about “scholasticide” – the intentional destruction of the Palestinian education system. The destruction of Gaza’s education system not only violates children’s fundamental right to education but also threatens the long-term social, cultural, and economic fabric of Palestinian society.
 

2. Lack of New-born and Maternal Healthcare 

The lack of essential supplies, medication, and healthcare workers has left the remaining medical staff overwhelmed and unable to provide adequate care for pregnant women and girls, as well as new mothers. Maternal malnutrition directly impacts foetal development, leading to low birth weight, stunted growth, and cognitive impairments that impact children’s ability to learn, which can last a lifetime. 

3. Harm from Explosive Weapons 

Since October 2023, Israeli forces have dropped an estimated 75,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza, resulting in widespread and indiscriminate harm to children.  Research shows that children’s injuries from explosive weapons often result in long-term debilitating physical conditions including loss of limbs, blindness, loss of hearing, and brain trauma. Children are more likely than adults to experience traumatic brain injuries from explosions, often leading to cognitive issues that affect their emotional and behavioural regulation. Lifelong disabilities will severely impair children’s capacity to attend educational facilities and learn, and they will require additional support. 

The UN Mine Action Service has estimated it will take at least 14 years to clear unexploded ordnance from Gaza. Such ordnance poses a particular threat to children, who may not recognise the danger and are more likely to handle these devices out of curiosity. Lifesaving learning programmes for children – including learning how to keep safe from unexploded ordnance – must rapidly be expanded in Gaza.   

4. Starvation and Dehydration 

The ongoing conflict and the systematic denial of humanitarian assistance has pushed Gaza to the brink of famine. Gaza now has the highest rates of child malnutrition globally. Malnutrition profoundly impacts children’s cognitive development, affecting emotional and behavioural regulation. Stunting in childhood is linked to an average loss of 0.7 grades in schooling and a 7-month delay in starting school. This educational disadvantage compounds over time, affecting future opportunities. 

5. Mental Harm

In Save the Children’s report, Trapped (2022), parents, caregivers, and mental health professionals reported a dramatic deterioration in children’s mental health, manifesting in severe emotional distress, behavioural changes, and cognitive impacts. With normal coping mechanisms such as stable routine, including attending school, opportunities for play, and family support completely eroded in Gaza, children face higher risks for chronic mental health challenges.  Research has found that Palestinian children exposed to war trauma show deficits in attention, concentration, and memory functions, which can affect academic performance and future life outcomes.

Without proper intervention, the psychological toll may manifest in lasting and severe distress, reduced educational attainment, limited economic prospects, and perpetuated cycles of poverty and disadvantage.

Recommendations

The futures of Gaza’s children – and by extension, the future of the occupied Palestinian territory itself – hang in the balance. To safeguard these futures and prevent further irreparable damage, urgent and comprehensive action from the international community is needed.  The following recommendations outline critical actions needed to address both the immediate crisis and the long-term impacts on children’s learning.

All parties to the conflict must implement an immediate and definitive ceasefire, protect learning spaces and allow unimpeded humanitarian access into and across the Gaza Strip.

The international community should:

• increase funding for maternal and newborn health, nutrition and water supplies, child protection, education and mental health and psychosocial support services,  
• support the forthcoming Gaza Education Response Plan, including the reconstruction and rehabilitation of educational facilities,
• invest in long-term solutions including training and curriculum development, and
• support international human rights and accountability mechanisms focused on children’s rights in conflict.