23 January 2026

The Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge and the Centre for Lebanese Studies (CLS), in partnership with UNRWA, have released a report titled “Palestinian Education Still Under Attack: Restoration, Recovery, Rights and Responsibilities in and through Education”.

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Palestine, on the education sector, as well as the escalation of hostile military operations carried out by Israeli occupation forces and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The study is divided into four parts. The first part addresses the effects of the Israeli war on the education sector in the Gaza Strip, including the destruction of the physical environment such as school infrastructure, damage to teaching and learning resources, and the impacts of starvation, food insecurity, and psychological trauma on the right to education. The Gaza section also highlights the continuity of the educational process amidst attacks and available spaces, emphasizing the role of teachers and counselors on the front lines.

The second part of the study examines the silently deteriorating educational situation in the occupied West Bank, ranging from attacks on schools and increased psychological trauma to the worsening conditions for students with disabilities. It also covers the decline in financial conditions and the situation of teachers and educators under Israeli attack and their specific needs.

The third section is dedicated to international funding for education, discussing the consequences of its decline and the reduction of UNRWA funding in light of rising needs, in addition to future funding requirements for the recovery and reconstruction of the education sector in Gaza. Finally, the report concludes with a set of recommendations for rebuilding safe educational systems, empowering students and teachers, and ensuring effective international commitment and funding. Most importantly, it proposes measures to assert Palestinian rights and the Palestinian voice.

The full report is available here.