UN report reveals 212 Gaza schools 'directly hit' by Israel since Oct.7

Israel "directly hit" 212 schools in besieged Gaza since October 7, a UN-partnered analysis has said, adding if Israel ends its war on the besieged Palestinians, at least 67 percent of schools "will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation work to be functional again."

Satellite imagery pointed to at least 53 schools that have been "totally destroyed" since the war erupted and a nearly nine percent increase in attacks on school premises since mid-February, according to a report by the UN Children's Fund, [UNICEF], the Education Cluster and Save The Children.

The report released on Wednesday said the "high trend of attacks on school facilities" has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Of the 563 school buildings in Gaza, 165 of the 212 that received a "direct hit" are in areas designated for evacuation by the Israeli military, it said.

"Data indicates that 62 schools were directly targeted in southern Khan Younis governorate, 14 in the Middle Area governorate, 94 in Gaza governorate, and 42 in North Gaza governorate – which is the most severely affected area to date, with 86.2 percent of school buildings either directly hit or damaged," said the report.

More than one in two school premises run by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, or UNRWA, have also been hit since October 7, according to the report.

"No education is happening in Gaza at all for nearly six months," UNRWA said Wednesday.

'Military use of schools' by Israel

Additional findings derived from the satellite imagery and other sources "provide evidence for military use of schools" by Israeli Security Forces [ISF] "since the beginning of the escalation," according to the report.

"This includes 'several concerning reports, pictures and videos showing that schools are being used for military operations by ISF, including use as detention, interrogation centres and military bases.'"

"Satellite pictures in the report also showed military tanks, their tracks and craters from shelling in school premises in February," it added.

The report noted that more than 320 school buildings, 188 of them directly hit and 98 damaged, have been used by displaced residents as shelters since October 7.

Israel has killed at least 32,490 people and wounded 74,889 so far in its brutal war on besieged Gaza.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling by the Court in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.