Kisch: Return to School in North, Center "Not Relevant"

Education Minister Yoav Kisch said Israel’s school system in central Israel and the north is not expected to reopen in the near future, as the war continues and missile attacks persist.

Speaking during a situation assessment in Nahariya, Kisch said the possibility of partially reopening schools in areas under fire, including the Tel Aviv metropolitan region and northern Israel, is “not relevant at this stage.”

As a result, most schools in those regions will remain closed and continue operating through remote learning, primarily via online platforms.

The decision follows another night of missile launches across the country, which have repeatedly sent millions of Israelis to shelters.

Education officials acknowledged that the shift to remote learning has created major difficulties for teachers, students and parents, particularly after multiple nights of disrupted sleep caused by air raid alerts.

In some schools, administrators have already canceled online classes for a day to allow students and staff to rest.

The Education Ministry said that any future reopening of schools will depend on security assessments by the Home Front Command and coordination with local authorities.

Officials added that even in areas where reopening becomes possible, schools will require at least 24 hours’ notice to prepare.

If approval for reopening is only granted at the end of the weekend, officials said classes would not resume until the following Monday.

Some regions, such as communities near the Gaza border, could potentially see a gradual reopening earlier than other parts of the country if security conditions allow.

However, authorities stressed that the final decision will depend on both the Home Front Command and local municipal leaders, who will determine whether conditions are safe enough to resume in-person learning.