Israeli aggression on Gaza takes toll on schools, children's future
6 Min Read
With over 7,700 children killed, thousands injured, and ongoing bombings, the suffering seems far from being grasped.
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Two Palestinian children sitting on the rubble of their home after an Israeli airstrike (UNICEF)
A new report by The Guardian shed light on the impact of the ongoing Israeli aggression on education in Gaza, which will cast a long shadow over the future of children, as displaced students and teachers, along with destroyed buildings, make it unlikely for classes to resume for many months.
Mohammad Mosa, a 14-year-old student, packed his laptop in the hope of continuing classes online, but two months later, education has taken a backseat amid intense bombardment and a restrictive blockade, turning daily life in Gaza into a struggle for survival.
“There is absolutely no form of education or schooling in the Gaza Strip at the moment,” said Jonathan Crick, a spokesperson for UNICEF in occupied al-Quds, as quoted by The Guardian.
“There were approximately 625,000 [school-age] students in the Gaza Strip before the escalation of hostilities and none of them are attending schools now. The level of violence and the ongoing hostilities, the intense bombing which is taking place, doesn’t allow for education.”
This little child in #Gaza couldn't fill his pot with food when he arrived at the queue. However, people gathered around him and each gave him a small portion of food so that he could share it with his family.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 16, 2023
Rejoiced by that small amount of food, he headed back to his tent and… pic.twitter.com/Mkvtz8vWtU
Students in Gaza think about 'how to survive death and displacement'
The tragic situation in Gaza has received limited attention outside the region. With over 7,700 children killed, thousands injured, and ongoing bombings, the suffering remains far from being grasped. Many face starvation, severe illness, or the risk of disease due to a lack of clean water and sanitation. It will likely take weeks, if not months, before traumatized children in Gaza can resume their studies. This interruption, coupled with time lost to COVID-19 and past Israeli aggressions, will significantly impact their future, contributing to the enduring legacy of trauma and loss from the ongoing genocidal war against Gazans.
Since the start of the Israeli aggression on #Gaza and the #WestBank on October 7, the impact on students has been devastating.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 15, 2023
The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education disclosed that 3,714 students have been killed by "Israel" while 5,700 students have been… pic.twitter.com/uPtxDCk3L0
Read more: A New School Year; Not for Children in Gaza
Schools in Gaza cannot reopen as long as the intense airstrikes and attacks persist, sparing neither classrooms, teachers, nor students. Suha Musa, a former math teacher at Al-Zaytoun boys’ school in west Gaza, emphasized this reality.
"I love my students very much and think about them all the time. Before, their greatest wish was to get a perfect score in their tests. Now, they think about how to survive death and displacement.”
As of mid-December, UN data revealed that 352 school buildings in Gaza have suffered damage, representing over 70% of the region's educational infrastructure. Among the remaining structures, numerous have been repurposed as shelters, with over 150 UNRWA schools and approximately 130 schools under local authorities serving this role.
“They cannot of course hold any kind of lesson when the shelters are already overcrowded,” Crick said.
Numerous educators, mirroring the plight of their students, will never return to the classrooms. Over 200 teachers have been killed, and more than 500 have sustained injuries due to the intense Israeli bombing. The survivors are widely dispersed, with over 80% of the population displaced, rendering them unable to engage in work or learning. Struggling with hunger, thirst, and cold conditions, they have limited access to electricity and the internet.
“My friends from school, from my boxing club and my English language club have all fled Gaza City, and communication is hard because there is so little internet connection,” said Mohammad, as quoted by The Guardian.
In addition to the logistical hurdles, the continually increasing trauma adds to the burden, with reports of family and friends being killed, injured, or missing. Even before the onset of the current Israeli aggression, four out of every five children in Gaza were grappling with depression, fear, and grief due to previous Israeli aggressions and blockades.
Alaa Soboh has been injured twice. Once in northern #Gaza due to an Israeli bombing of their house, and a second time at Nuseirat refugee camp where she lost her arm.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 12, 2023
All Alaa wishes for is a new arm...#GazaUnderAttack #Palestine pic.twitter.com/8S64ACQTzW
Read next: “I am too young to die”: Children in Gaza left traumatized
“I heard that my friend Ahmed Yaghi is in Khan Younis, and today’s news mentioned bombings in that area,” Mohammad said. “I couldn’t get through to check up on him, and then I got the devastating news that my friend Ibrahim and his entire family were killed.”
Upon learning about the martyrdom of his dear friend, he sobbed. Similar to many other children in Gaza, his aspirations have now been reduced to a wish for the Israeli bombings to cease.
'Education system was already in a catastrophic situation'
Teachers and humanitarian organizations caution that even with the establishment of a prolonged ceasefire, achieving anything resembling normalcy in Gaza will be a protracted process due to the extensive damage.
“When we talk about education, we are talking about a system, as with healthcare,” Crick said. “It is absolutely impossible that these systems would be put back in place without a long-lasting humanitarian ceasefire. In order to be able to help the children properly and at scale, this is essential.”
The shortage of classrooms was already a significant issue before the current Israeli aggression, and it will pose a major challenge in the reconstruction efforts. Numerous schools adopted double shifts, accommodating one set of students in the morning and another in the afternoon. Consequently, damage to a single building can render two schools inoperable.
“You can just imagine the challenge that it will be to relaunch a proper education system, when it was already in such a catastrophic situation,” Crick said, as quoted by The Guardian.
Israel blows up a United Nations school in Gaza. UN buildings are internationally protected. This is an attack on the international community.
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) December 13, 2023
Israel is a pariah regime that must be sanctioned. https://t.co/UtiS0e7vlN
Even with the reconstruction of classrooms, the provision of textbooks, and the training of new teachers, Musa is concerned that children's perceptions of schools may be altered. Many have experienced cramped conditions, enduring cold, hunger, filth, and terror due to Israeli bombing during their time in schools.
Read next: 3,714 students killed in Palestine by 'Israel' since October 7
