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Israeli Forces Destroy Three Schools in Southern Lebanon as Conflict Continues
Education Minister Rima Karami said Israeli forces looted the buildings before using explosives. The demolitions raise the total of destroyed schools to at least 20. About 500,000 children remain out of school.
Jul 17, 10:06 PM·1m read1 source
Al JazeeraAudio version
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The Israeli military looted and destroyed three schools in southern Lebanon, Education and Higher Education Minister Rima Karami said in a statement carried by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency on Friday. Karami said the forces used explosives to reduce the buildings to piles of ashes after removing items from inside.
The three schools were added to the list of educational institutions destroyed during the conflict.
Al Jazeera reported that the latest demolitions bring the number of destroyed schools to at least 20. UNESCO said in June that 17 schools had been destroyed and more than 100 damaged. About 500,000 Lebanese children remain out of school because of the conflict, according to UNESCO.
Lebanese authorities said Israeli attacks since March have killed at least 4,324 people, including 250 children, injured 12,223 others and displaced more than one million. The UN Development Programme estimated that more than 11,000 buildings in southern Lebanon have been destroyed since the conflict escalated in March.
Lebanon and Israel signed a US-mediated framework agreement on June 26 that calls for a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory linked to the disarmament of Hezbollah.
