In Gaza City, the sound of children learning can be heard once again. The tents that now serve as classrooms are noisy and a little chaotic but lively. Some teachers point to boards covered in English letters; others invite pupils to come forward and write basic Arabic words. It is nowhere near a normal school day. But after the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in October, it's a start.
After two years of war, the hum of lessons and chatter of classmates resonates around the ruins of what was once Lulwa Abdel Wahab al-Qatami School, in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in the south-western part of Gaza City. It was hit in January 2024, and for months afterwards, its grounds served as a shelter for displaced families. Today, it is again a place of learning - albeit in a more basic form.
Walking in a straight line, their small arms resting on each other's shoulders, pupils smile as they head into the makeshift classrooms. For many, this is the first return to routine and education since the war began. According to Unicef, more than 97% of schools in Gaza were damaged or destroyed during the war. The IDF has made repeated claims that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure including schools to carry out operations but has rarely provided solid evidence.
Of the Strip's 658,000 school-aged children, most have had no formal education for nearly two years. During that time, many learned first-hand how hunger, displacement and death can shape their young lives. Now, something rare is emerging: a fragile glimpse of the childhoods they once knew.
Fourteen-year-old Naeem al-Asmaar, who lost his mother in an airstrike, expressed that he missed school immensely. I missed being in school a lot, he shared, noting the stark differences between pre-war education and current conditions.
The makeshift school operated by Unicef accommodates 1,100 boys and girls, running three shifts a day, with efforts to compensate for lost learning. However, the education provided is limited and far from normal, highlighted by the absence of essential supplies and psychological support that many children need after the trauma of war.
Huda Bassam al-Dasouki, a mother of five, articulated the overwhelming challenges parents face: Even before the war, schools struggled with shortages. Now, basic supplies are unaffordable or unavailable. With the emotional scars of war still fresh, the determination of both students and educators shines through as they strive to regain a semblance of normalcy in this turmoil.
After two years of war, the hum of lessons and chatter of classmates resonates around the ruins of what was once Lulwa Abdel Wahab al-Qatami School, in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in the south-western part of Gaza City. It was hit in January 2024, and for months afterwards, its grounds served as a shelter for displaced families. Today, it is again a place of learning - albeit in a more basic form.
Walking in a straight line, their small arms resting on each other's shoulders, pupils smile as they head into the makeshift classrooms. For many, this is the first return to routine and education since the war began. According to Unicef, more than 97% of schools in Gaza were damaged or destroyed during the war. The IDF has made repeated claims that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure including schools to carry out operations but has rarely provided solid evidence.
Of the Strip's 658,000 school-aged children, most have had no formal education for nearly two years. During that time, many learned first-hand how hunger, displacement and death can shape their young lives. Now, something rare is emerging: a fragile glimpse of the childhoods they once knew.
Fourteen-year-old Naeem al-Asmaar, who lost his mother in an airstrike, expressed that he missed school immensely. I missed being in school a lot, he shared, noting the stark differences between pre-war education and current conditions.
The makeshift school operated by Unicef accommodates 1,100 boys and girls, running three shifts a day, with efforts to compensate for lost learning. However, the education provided is limited and far from normal, highlighted by the absence of essential supplies and psychological support that many children need after the trauma of war.
Huda Bassam al-Dasouki, a mother of five, articulated the overwhelming challenges parents face: Even before the war, schools struggled with shortages. Now, basic supplies are unaffordable or unavailable. With the emotional scars of war still fresh, the determination of both students and educators shines through as they strive to regain a semblance of normalcy in this turmoil.
