UNICEF has issued a passionate plea for the end of Israeli air strikes targeting schools in the Gaza Strip. The recent attacks have left a school for orphans and another sheltering families in ruins.
As the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, Pope Francis has voiced his concern and called for an immediate ceasefire. The Pope’s plea comes amidst a wave of violence affecting children in the region.
UNICEF has condemned the use of schools as military targets, emphasizing that the violence harming children must come to an end. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, over 500 educational institutions in Gaza have been hit by Israeli airstrikes.
Among the casualties were four Gazan schools struck in the last 24 hours, with numerous children losing their lives. The Al-Amal Orphan Society in Gaza City and another school serving as a shelter for Palestinian families were among the targets.
Escalating Attacks
Israel’s so-called ‘precision attacks’ have damaged over half of Gaza’s schools and all twelve universities in the region. Despite claims of targeting Hamas fighters, these strikes have also displaced civilians seeking refuge.
Human rights monitors have found no evidence of military infrastructure in many of the schools targeted by Israeli forces. Alarming casualty estimates for children have prompted calls for a humanitarian ceasefire by the UN and world leaders.
Pope Francis has denounced the attacks on schools, referring to the presumption of Hamas’ presence as an ugly justification for violence. He continues to advocate for peace in Gaza, Israel, and Lebanon, where over 100 children have lost their lives since the conflict began.
Sources: Middle East Monitor, Reuters, UNICEF
