GAZA, September 30, 2025 (WAFA) – The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, stressed on Tuesday that ensuring children's education  in Gaza must be a core element of any agreement to end Israel's  war on the Strip.

In a statement on the X, he said, "Children's education must be part of any agreement to end the war in Gaza. The proposed plan must offer some hope to more than 660,000 children who have been deprived of education for a third year."

He emphasized that returning children to classrooms should be a collective priority to promote lasting peace and stability, adding that UNRWA,  thanks to its staff, UNRWA has the experience, infrastructure, and knowledge necessary to support the gradual return to formal education for children in the war-torn Strip if a ceasefire is reached."

Lazzarini underlined that "before the war, UNRWA provided education in its schools—UN schools—to more than 300,000 children."

He called on UN member states to support UNRWA in protecting its mandate and work "so that it can continue to make a tangible difference in the lives and futures of Palestinian children."

"Without education, children risk falling prey to exploitation or extremism," he warned, renewing his call for the need for an immediate ceasefire.

Y.S