A new UN report has accused Israel of committing war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination in Gaza, citing systematic attacks on schools, universities, mosques, and cultural sites.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, chaired by former ICC judge Navi Pillay, describes the attacks as part of a “concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life”, severely impacting current and future generations.

Between October 2023 and February 2025, Israeli forces destroyed between 70% and 90% of Gaza’s schools and universities, leaving over 658,000 children without education for nearly two years.

The report documents deliberate burning and demolition of schools and universities, as well as the conversion of part of Al-Azhar University’s campus into a synagogue and ammunition storage facility.

Additionally, over 800 educators and school staff have been killed, and 742 civilians died in attacks on UNRWA facilities.

In the West Bank, increased security checkpoints and settler violence have disrupted education for over 806,000 Palestinian students, with 96 killed and 500 detained.

The UNESCO has verified damage to 75 cultural and religious sites, including the Great Omari Mosque and the Palace Pasha Museum, while Israeli forces have looted archaeological sites.

The report urges global institutions to take immediate measures to protect Palestinian education, cultural heritage, and religious freedom.

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