Israeli siege denies 80,000 Palestinian students in-person education as 66 schools are affected in al-Khalil

Around 80,000 Palestinian students were denied in-person education during the fourth week of October as Zionist regime’s occupation forces imposed a military siege on al-Khalil and surrounding areas, including al-Jalda and Ein Baha, disrupting classes, closing roads and preventing students and teachers from reaching their schools.

A report issued by the al-Khalil Directorate of Education revealed that Zionist regime’s military restrictions have paralyzed the educational system, forcing schools to replace classroom instruction with remote learning and take-home assignments.

The disruptions come amid continued Zionist regime’s military raids, home searches and the closure of major roads and neighborhood entrances across the governorate.

66 schools directly affected by Israeli military restrictions

According to the directorate, 66 schools were directly affected by the Israeli military measures.

The report identified 2,872 students facing direct disruptions, including 2,198 trapped under the military siege and 674 forcibly displaced students unable to reach their schools.

The restrictions also affected 119 teachers, including 98 trapped in besieged areas and 21 forcibly displaced from their homes.

Six administrative and support staff members were also affected, including two school counselors, two vice principals and two school custodians.

Schools forced to switch to remote learning

The Directorate of Education confirmed that all schools in al-Khalil were forced to switch to remote learning and take-home assignments from Sunday through Thursday because of road closures and severe restrictions on movement.

The measures have deprived thousands of Palestinian children of classroom instruction, direct interaction with teachers and a stable learning environment.

The directorate warned that continued road closures, enforced through earthen barriers and iron gates, are worsening both the educational and humanitarian crises.

It also expressed concern that prolonged disruptions could undermine students’ academic performance and affect their psychological and social well-being.

More than 780 families affected by al-Khalil siege

The Zionist troops have maintained a military siege on the al-Jalda and Deir Baha areas since last Friday, sealing off neighborhoods, raiding Palestinian homes and damaging their contents.

The military campaign has affected more than 780 families, while approximately 5,000 Palestinians face siege conditions and forced displacement.

Since the operation began, the Zionist regime’s forces arrested more than 115 Palestinians, including a young woman, and detained and subjected hundreds of others to mistreatment.

The restrictions have disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life, with education among the sectors most severely affected.

Growing fears over long-term educational disruption

The Directorate of Education warned that the consequences of the siege extend beyond school closures.

Students are also struggling to access educational materials and maintain consistent learning routines, while displaced and besieged families face mounting economic and psychological pressures.

There are growing concerns that continued military raids and closures will prolong educational interruptions and widen learning gaps, particularly among children who have been forcibly displaced or prevented from reaching their schools.

With no stable conditions allowing regular classroom instruction to resume, thousands of Palestinian students remain at risk of falling further behind in their education.