A/HRC/10/22 page 34 to children. On 20 January two children were killed by unexploded ordnances in Az-Zaitoun, in the eastern part of Gaza City. The boy (10) and girl (11) were playing in an area from which the IDF had recently withdrawn. Attacks on schools and health facilities 21. Seven Ministry of Education schools were destroyed and 157 schools were damaged by air strikes and related bombardment in Gaza, in addition damage to 36 UNWRA schools. In an area where many Gazan schools already operate a double shift system, the provision of education to children will be under exceptional strain. 22. On 6 January 2009, three shells landed outside the UNRWA Jabalia Prep C Boys School, resulting in at least 37 fatalities, including 14 children (three aged 10, three aged 13, three aged 15 and one each of 3, 11,14, 16 and 17 years of age). There were at least 55 injuries (including 15 children) of which 15 are reported to be in critical condition. Further investigation is required to determine the exact location of where children were injured and killed. The school was being used as a shelter for people fleeing hostilities. 23. In the same period, two schools in Ashkelon, southern Israel were damaged by rocket fire from Gaza. One “Grad” rocket hit the Tzvia school, a religious girl’s school and another hit at the entrance to the Newe Dkalim school. Due to preparations made in both schools there were no casualties. 24. During the fighting, damage was reported in 14 of the 27 hospitals in Gaza and at least 38 clinics were damaged by IDF fire. Fata and Al-Wafa rehabilitation hospitals, managed by NGOs, are the only rehabilitation hospitals in Gaza and both were severely damaged. Additionally eight UNRWA health centres sustained light damage. Of the 148 ambulances in Gaza, at least 29 have been damaged or destroyed. Two ambulance stations (Gaza and Jabalia) were also destroyed. 25. Al-Quds Palestinian Red Crescent Society Hospital in south Gaza City, was hit by direct IDF fire. Soldiers surrounded the hospital during the early hours of 15 January and opened fire on the hospital compound. The administrative building and pharmacy adjacent to the hospital were hit and caught fire. Fearing an imminent explosion or the spread of the fire, hospital authorities evacuated all patients to the hospital’s ground floor and prepared for a complete evacuation. At least 50 patients, 20 of whom were confined to their beds, waited several hours to be evacuated. Fire-fighters and ambulances were prevented from evacuating the patients for about five hours. Between 27 December and 19 January, 16 health personnel were reported to have been killed while on duty, and an additional 22 injured. Denial of humanitarian access 26. The 20-month blockade of Gaza had already resulted in a scarcity of many goods and an insufficiency of basic support services. This has impacted upon children in the decreased availability of nourishing foods, and the compromised ability to provide essential services such as health and education. The blockage of basic provisions has not changed since the crisis and continues to limit not only the normal development of children but now recovery from the immense impact of the 22-day conflict.