Education under fire: Gaza’s children face death on their way to school

What the report says

Gaza’s children are facing renewed danger as the academic year resumes in the territory, with Al Jazeera reporting deaths and injuries linked to Israeli strikes and gunfire on the way to school or near school grounds. The article, published Oct. 31, 2026, focuses on families in Deir el-Balah and Jabalia who say the return to classes has brought fear rather than relief after years of disruption.

Among the cases described is 14-year-old Mohammed Hamad, who was killed on Oct. 17 while walking home from a makeshift school in Deir el-Balah with his younger brother. The story also details the shooting of 10-year-old Suad Abd Rabbo near Muradiya School in northern Gaza on Oct. 21, and another student, Amina Khader, who was also injured during the same incident. Parents and school staff described lasting physical and psychological effects, along with growing absenteeism after the attack.

Al Jazeera said schools near the so-called Yellow Line face especially high risk because of Israeli military fire and the disputed control zone created under the October 2025 ceasefire arrangement. The Gaza education ministry called for urgent international protection for students, teachers and educational institutions. The reporting underscores how education in Gaza remains intertwined with security threats, displacement and limited access to medical care.