August Overview
A number of developments during the month highlighted the vulnerability of children in the context of the ongoing occupation and violence.
August marked the start of the new school year for more than one million Palestinian children across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt). However, thousands of Palestinian children continue to face a number of challenges in their access to education, including the chronic lack of classrooms, poor quality facilities, over-crowding and double shifts at many schools, all of which are primarily the result of building restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities. Many children and their teachers also face physical threats and obstacles on their daily journey to school due to armed hostilities (in Gaza and southern Israel), settler violence and checkpoints (in the West Bank). The cumulative impact of these stresses is undermining the educational performance and general development of affected children.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Violent attacks by Israeli settlers continue ............3
Record number of Palestinians allowed into East Jerusalem and Israel during Ramadan........7
132 families evicted by the de-facto authorities in Gaza in July............................................8
The school year begins amidst a shortage of classrooms....................................................9
Attack in the Sinai disrupts the flow of people and goods to/from Gaza............................... 11
Responding to urgent health, water and education needs.................................................... 12
