UNRWA SCHOOL IN BEIT LAHIA DAMAGED BY ISRAELI MILITARY

UNRWA SCHOOL IN BEIT LAHIA DAMAGED BY ISRAELI MILITARY

(Reissued as received.)

GAZA, 10 March (UNRWA) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is to protest to the Government of Israel at the wanton damage done to one of its schools during Israel’s weekend occupation of part of Beit Lahia in the Northern Gaza Strip.

The Ezbet Preparatory Boy’s School has had its entire front wall, gate and playground outbuilding demolished by an Israeli military bulldozer.  Despite clearly flying a United Nations flag, and carrying the United Nations symbol, most of the windows in the front of school have been broken and classrooms were damaged at the time the area was under the control of the Israeli military.

There have been repeated military violations of the sanctity of UNRWA schools during the last 30 months, on the majority of occasions by Israeli forces.  The destruction comes just one week after a 12-year old pupil sitting in an UNRWA school in Khan Younis in Gaza was hit in the head by a bullet fired from an Israeli position.  The child has since died.

For more information, please contact unrwapio@unrwa.org

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