Gaza: With a suitcase for a school bag, classrooms have become shelters. Instead of studying in school, were living in it, said Diana, summing up the conditions faced by thousands of children in the Gaza Strip whose lives have been turned upside down by war who now face the prospect of a third year without education.
According to United Nations, Diana and other students shared their eagerness to get back in the classroom, speaking from schools that have been converted into shelters for Gaza's displaced, where most of the 2.3 million Palestinian residents have been forced to move multiple times during the nearly two-year-long war sparked by the Hamas-led terror attacks and Israel's subsequent offensive. Diana expressed her frustration, saying, Two years of our lives were wasted. If it weren't for the war, I would now be preparing for school, buying pens and school supplies. Now, we search for water and food, running after water and community kitchens. She also shared the personal loss of her father during the war, emphasizing the impact of the conflict on her family and education.
Nine-year-old Jana also conveyed her desire to return to school, stating, We live in a school, and we want to go back to studying there. We were displaced because of the war and now, there is no food or drink. Maya reflected on life before the war and the absence of normalcy. Malak described her daily struggle of gathering materials for cooking instead of focusing on her homework, expressing hope for the war's end.
UNRWA, established in 1949 to serve Palestine refugees, warned that as students have been deprived of education, they are at risk of becoming a lost generation. The agency highlighted the severe impact of the conflict on children, with nearly one million children in the Strip suffering from profound psychological trauma. More than 90 percent of Gaza's schools have been either destroyed or severely damaged, requiring significant resources and time for repairs, as noted in a recent UN report.
In the West Bank, the situation is similarly dire. Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA affairs in the West Bank, reported that 46,000 Palestine refugee children are set to begin a new school year in UNRWA schools. However, escalating violence and displacement have disrupted education, leaving UNRWA schools in places like Jenin camp silent. The closure of six schools in East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities further exacerbated the issue, affecting 800 children.
Mr. Friedrich warned of the violation of children's right to education and Israel's obligations as a UN Member State. Despite these challenges, UNRWA remains the second-largest provider of education in the West Bank, continuing to reach students through schools, training centers, and hybrid learning modalities. He expressed pride in the resilience of students and teachers, wishing them a school year filled with excitement for learning and friendships.