GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — A wave of criticism has followed the recent remarks of Hamas political bureau member Suhail al-Hindi. Hindi told Felesteen newspaper Sept. 18 that there is a plan to bring the students in UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip to the eastern border with Israel. Critics say Hamas seeks to achieve political objectives by risking children’s lives. Hindi stated that the goal is to force the UNRWA to halt the decline in the provision of basic services to Palestinians, saying, “The UNRWA administration, the occupation and whoever is besieging Gaza shall be blamed for how the tides turn.”

According to the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, the UNRWA terminated 100 staff members in the health and education sectors, notified 97 engineers that their contacts were downgraded to day labor and sent 105 teachers into forced retirement though their contracts have not expired. It also suspended financial allocations for services and workshops.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, Abdel Rahim Shaldan, a father of two UNRWA students in the central Gaza Strip, noted, “Hamas seems to have failed to achieve the political goal of breaking the siege, six months following the March of Return which resulted in thousands of wounded and martyrs. It has decided to risk the children’s lives.” He believes that Hamas does not have the right to risk the lives and safety of the students.

He went on. “Hindi spoke of the UNRWA schools where education is offered to refugee children from the first to the ninth grades, between six and 14 years old. This would mean that he wants to involve them in a battle they did not choose and have them walk toward bullets and bombs!”