Dear Friend,
While children are preparing to return to school in communities around the world, children in Gaza are left without places to learn. About 700,000 school-age children have now missed almost three consecutive academic years.
Despite the ceasefire announced in October 2025, children in Gaza have continued to face violence, displacement and uncertainty. In the eight months that followed, a child was killed, on average, every day.
The impact of this violence extends into nearly every aspect of childhood, including education. Nearly 98% of school buildings are damaged and over 93% require major rehabilitation or full reconstruction before it will be safe for children to return.
Education offers children structure, stability and the chance to reconnect with friends, teachers and the routines that can help them recover after prolonged trauma. That's why UNICEF has launched an ambitious effort to help every school-age child in Gaza return to learning, aiming to provide 336,000 children with learning opportunities by the end of 2026 and reach all 700,000 school-age children by the end of 2027. | 
