More than 200 schools in Gaza, managed by the United Nations, opened today for the first time since the entry into force of a cease-fire that ended the three-week Israeli offensive against Hamas.

The 221 schools of the territory administered by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) are attended by about 200 thousand children.

Many were used as refuge for thousands of Palestinians during the Israeli offensive, which ended last Sunday.

The bombing victims have made in three schools and the main complex of UNRWA. The most deadly was more than 40 dead, 6 January, a school in Jabaliya in northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli offensive has a total of 1,330 dead, 437 of them children, according to the medical services of the Palestinian territory.

Christopher Gunness, spokesman of UNRWA, reported that 53 UN facilities were damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Of these, more than 30 schools were.

Although they have not yet finished the work of recovery, the agency wants to reopen the schools to create a feeling of return to normality. “UNRWA’s commitment to restoring a sense of normality for the next generation of Gaza is a test of our humanity and we decided to respond to the challenge,” he said.

About 1.5 million Palestinians of the Gaza Strip, most refugees are highly dependent on international humanitarian aid, an area subjected to an Israeli blockade.

The fighting stopped on January 18 when Israel and Hamas declared, each, a cease-fire. On Wednesday, the Israeli army announced having withdrawn all its troops from the territory.