Armed Israeli security forces have forced the closure of three schools run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem. Hundreds of Palestinian students were sent home from the schools in Shuafat refugee camp just after classes began on Thursday morning.

Israel has closed six U.N. schools in east Jerusalem, forcing students to leave early and throwing the education of more than 800 students into question

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Thursday decried an "assault on children" after Israel closed all six of its schools in annexed east Jerusalem, months after an Israeli ban on its activities took effect.