UNITED NATIONS, Sep 10 (IPS) – Nearly a year into the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, living conditions for millions of children continue to deteriorate. The widespread spread of diseases among children and the stagnant state of Gaza’s school system have been greatly exacerbated by the ongoing hostilities.
Polio, once thought to have been eradicated from the modern world, has resurfaced in Gaza after a 25-year absence. Infections were first detected in sewage samples from Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in mid-July. The first known case of polio was observed in a 10-month-old child in mid-August.
Three phases of a vaccination campaign have been launched by the United Nations (UN), focusing on the central, southern and northern parts of Gaza. The two of these orders, targeting central and southern Gaza, have been completed, thanks to a seven-day humanitarian pause granted by the Israeli authorities earlier this month.
“The first round of the campaign is now almost 70 percent complete – with more than 446,000 children vaccinated out of the 640,000 targeted during this first round of vaccinations – and the second round is expected to begin in four weeks,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the Secretary-General, during a press conference at UN headquarters on September 9, 2024.
During the second phase of the vaccination campaign, more than 256,000 children in Khan Younis and Rafah have been vaccinated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the third phase will begin tomorrow in northern Gaza, with a target of around 150,000 children.
Despite initial vaccination efforts going relatively smoothly, new evacuation orders have been announced for regions not yet reached by aid workers. The ongoing hostilities threaten to leave thousands of children unvaccinated amid a health crisis.
UNICEF has indicated that at least 95 percent coverage is needed to prevent the spread of polio and reduce the risk of new outbreaks due to compromised health, water and sanitation systems.
In addition, the armed conflict, repeated evacuation orders and routine bombardments have taken a heavy toll on Gaza’s education system, affecting more than 625,000 children.
After the war between Israel and Hamas broke out, all schools in Gaza were closed. Palestinian children have not been to school for almost a year. This is a serious concern for the development of Palestine, as an entire generation is being deprived of a crucial period for cognitive development.
“Humanitarian workers say the prolonged deprivation of education is causing long-term harm to Gaza’s children. Younger children are suffering in their cognitive, social and emotional development, and older children are at greater risk of being sucked into work or marrying early,” said UNICEF regional spokesperson Tess Ingram.
Ingram adds that the longer a student is out of school, the less likely they are to ever return. Juliette Touma, director of communications for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), says children who are taken out of school are more likely to be recruited by armed groups.
Jesús Miguel Perez Cazorla, a mental health expert at the International Committee of the Red Cross, adds that children who experience a lack of education, especially when combined with exposure to violence, are much more likely to develop anxiety.
In addition, routine bombardments have rendered thousands of schools inaccessible to students. According to UNICEF, 564 schools had been hit or damaged by Israeli strikes as of August 2024. This represents 85 percent of all schools in Gaza.
“Bombed buildings and walls, collapsing ceilings, gaping holes in rows of school desks and what were once classrooms filled with boys and girls. They now need reconstruction or major renovation to be functional again,” UNRWA said.
UNRWA, which manages about half of Gaza’s schools, has converted the majority of Gaza’s undamaged educational facilities into emergency shelters for displaced people. These shelters are housing thousands of displaced families.
In the midst of this nationwide education crisis, humanitarian groups are providing recreational activities to children in shelters to help fill the lack of education. While these activities are much less effective in developing social and cognitive skills in children than traditional schooling, they keep children engaged.
“Creating safe spaces where children can come together to play and learn is an important step. Ultimately, the children of Gaza need to be able to be taught by teachers in classrooms, with learning materials and all the other support that education provides,” Ingram said.
The UN hopes a ceasefire is imminent so children can safely resume their education. But even if the conditions for a ceasefire are met, it will take decades to fully repair the damage done to Gaza’s education infrastructure.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service