NEW YORK: A senior United Nations official for relief work in occupied Gaza, reopened on Sunday a school Khuza`a Elementary Co-ed A&B school, in eastern Khan Younis area of Gaza Strip.

According to a statement issued by the UN relief agency, UNRWA CommissionerGeneral Pierre Krähenbühl reopened the school which has over 1,100 students who returned to classrooms in mid-March.

Its refurbishment was made possible by generous donations from international partners and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai who contributed $50,000 her entire prize money. The building was one of 83 schools affected by Israeli attacks.

Damage and destruction to the Khuza`a school occurred on or about 28 July last year, contrary to the inviolability of UN premises under international law.

This was concurrent with Israeli Defence Force`s ground operations in the vicinity of the school, during which an entire wing of classrooms, a toilet block and a boundary wall were demolished. There was also some damage caused by ordnance and small arms fire.