Israeli war on Gaza killed over 100 academics, researchers: authorities

Gaza authorities have released a list of more than 100 academics and researchers they say have been killed by Israeli forces since war broke out over seven months ago.

"We strongly condemn the occupation's assassination of scientists, academics, university professors and researchers, who are a distinguished group in the Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip," the government's media office said in a statement on Thursday.

"This sends a clear message that they aim to completely eliminate scientists and researchers in the educational sector," it added.

Among those on the list of 104 names is Sufyan Tayeh, who was the president of the Islamic University and a leading researcher in physics and applied mathematics.

'Genocidal war'

Top surgeon and professor of medicine Adnan al-Barsh was also listed.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, Barsh, 50, died in Israeli custody on April 19 after being detained with other doctors at al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza last December.

Asked at the time about his reported death in custody, the Israeli army said it was "currently not aware of such (an) incident".

The Hamas government called on the "free countries of the world and all organisations related to education and higher education worldwide to condemn this historical crime and to pressure the occupation to stop the genocidal war."

Its statement came against the backdrop of student protests against Israel's conduct of the war on campuses across the United States and beyond.

Many of the demonstrators have called on their universities to divest from companies that allegedly contribute to human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories.