More than 800 Palestinian teachers have been killed and over 3,300 injured since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, while more than 170 educators remain detained, according to the Palestinian Education Ministry.
The figures were released as the world marks World Teachers Day 2026 on October 5, with the ministry warning that Palestinian educators are facing severe conditions while continuing to defend access to education amid the ongoing conflict.
In a statement issued ahead of World Teachers Day 2026, the ministry said teachers across the occupied Palestinian territories are engaged in what it described as “a real battle for survival.” It said attacks, arrests, movement restrictions and other pressures have severely affected educators and disrupted the education system in both Gaza and the West Bank.
The ministry said more than 170 Palestinian teachers remain detained under what it described as harsh conditions. It also reported that educators in several parts of the West Bank face daily restrictions and harassment, particularly at checkpoints.
Teachers working in Masafer Yatta south of Hebron, al-Mughayyir in the central West Bank, the Jordan Valley and areas classified as Area C have been particularly affected by movement restrictions, according to the ministry.
The impact on teachers extends beyond physical safety. The ministry said Palestinian educators are also facing serious financial pressures as the Palestinian Authority struggles with a prolonged fiscal crisis and difficulties in paying public employees in full.
A major factor is the withholding of Palestinian clearance revenues, which consist of taxes collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority under existing economic arrangements. The ministry said the loss of these revenues has weakened the authority’s ability to meet salary and public-service obligations, adding to the economic strain faced by educators.
The education ministry said the continuing pressure on teachers is also affecting their material and psychological stability at a time when schools, universities and other educational institutions have already suffered extensive disruption.
On World Teachers Day 2026, the ministry called on the international community, the United Nations and international education and human rights organizations to take urgent steps to protect Palestinian students and education personnel.
It also urged teachers’ unions and education organizations around the world to press for the release of detained Palestinian educators and support efforts to secure their financial entitlements.
The ministry said protecting teachers is essential to preserving the right to education for Palestinian children and young people, particularly as the conflict continues to place unprecedented pressure on the education sector.
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The figures released for World Teachers Day 2026 highlight the devastating human cost faced by Palestinian educators since the Gaza war began, with hundreds killed, thousands injured and dozens more remaining in detention.
