On World Teachers' Day: More than 800 teachers have been martyred since October 7, 2023

RAMALLAH, October 4, 2026 (WAFA) — The Ministry of Education and Higher Education stated that since the beginning of the war of genocide on October 7, 2023, more than 800 male and female teachers have been martyred, over 3,300 others have been injured with varying degrees of wounds, and more than 170 teachers have been detained under harsh conditions.

In a statement issued today, Sunday, to mark World Teachers' Day, the Ministry added that this year's global occasion is held under the slogan: "Supporting Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Improving Conditions, and Shaping Our Future." This carries a historical symbolism that embodies sixty years of human struggle to protect the teaching profession and advance the status of its educators.

The statement continued: "While the world evokes this slogan to address the challenges and strategies necessary to elevate the educational mission, the Palestinian teacher stands at the heart of the field. They embody the finest examples of steadfastness and loyalty to their mission, fighting a genuine battle for survival to protect the right to education under the most brutal conditions of aggression and systematic targeting."

The Ministry highlighted that the suffering of teachers intensifies daily due to on-the-ground harassment and growing restrictions on freedom of movement across hundreds of military checkpoints. This is particularly severe in Masafer Yatta, Al-Mughayyir, the Jordan Valley, and Area C. This is further compounded by the occupation's continued withholding of Palestinian tax revenues (clearance funds), resulting in severe living and economic crises that directly and painfully affect the financial and psychological stability of the educational community.

Expressing deep pride in the pioneering role played by teachers across the homeland, the Ministry stated: "This is an occasion to extend gratitude and appreciation to our male and female teachers. We honor the teachers of Gaza, who were not deterred by rubble, bombardment, or displacement camps from performing their duty. They successfully transformed tents and displacement centers into classrooms pulsing with life. We also honor their colleagues in the virtual schools in the West Bank who skillfully continued their journey to ensure the continuity of education for our students in Gaza, as well as the teachers of Jerusalem who remain steadfast in their schools despite racist occupation policies."

The statement emphasized that this resilience has yielded inspiring success stories, transforming challenges into opportunities for renewal and creativity. The Palestinian teacher has proven to be a true community leader by innovating educational initiatives, technological solutions, and alternative teaching methods from within the heart of the blockade. This sends a clear message from Palestine to the entire world: the will to learn and teach is far stronger and more enduring than the machinery of war and destruction.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education demanded that the international community, the United Nations, and educational, human rights, and humanitarian organizations—led by UNESCO and UNICEF—take urgent action to curb the ongoing occupation violations against the educational sector and work immediately to provide international protection for educational staff and students.

Furthermore, the Ministry called upon all educational federations, unions, and free people of the world to intensify their advocacy and defense of the rights of Palestinian teachers. It urged them to exert pressure for the release of detained teachers and the immediate release of withheld financial revenues, ensuring the teacher's right to live in dignity and safely fulfill their noble mission.