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Lazzarini said that education is a source of pride for Palestinians, stating: “It is the only asset that has never been taken away from them. Their land and homes were taken, but their education was not.”

Noting that in recent years education for Palestinian refugees has increasingly become a target of attacks, Lazzarini said:

“In Gaza, more than 600,000 children have had no access to formal education for over two years. These children have experienced deep trauma and continue their lives among the ruins. Bringing them back into a learning environment is our most fundamental priority. Failure to do so will only generate more despair and extremism.”

Lazzarini said that UNRWA is working tirelessly to bring children back onto the path of education.

Stating that today 65,000 children in Gaza are studying in temporary learning spaces and around 300,000 children have access to basic literacy and mathematics lessons through digital platforms, Lazzarini said: “Whether in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon or Syria, UNRWA is an indispensable provider of education and vocational training for Palestinian refugees.”

Lazzarini noted that more than 500,000 students are educated in UNRWA institutions, nearly half of them girls, adding: “For UNRWA, every day is Education Day.”