DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The education system in Gaza is in ruins, and the human cost is becoming increasingly stark. Following years of conflict, most schools in the enclave have been destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without access to formal education. Families, already displaced and traumatized by war, are struggling to secure even the most basic learning opportunities for their children.

Bissan Younis, a mother of four, stood outside a cluster of makeshift tents amidst rubble and debris. “Most of the schools are destroyed,” she said, describing the impossible challenge of finding a place for her teenage son, Kareem, to continue his studies. “Every school I go to tells me there is no room.” Across Gaza, her experience is far from unique: more than 600,000 Palestinian children have missed school over the past two years due to the war between Israel and the militant Hamas group.

Impact of the War on Children

The war, which erupted in October 2023 with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, has left Gaza’s children not only out of school but also struggling with repeated displacement, shelling, and the search for basic necessities like water and food. Instead of studying or socializing, children have been forced into survival mode, bearing the psychological weight of ongoing violence.

With the ceasefire largely holding since last month, humanitarian agencies are racing to reopen schools, often under extremely difficult conditions. John Crickx, spokesperson for UNICEF, emphasized the urgency: “In the weeks to come, if we don’t offer education, there could be terrible consequences for an entire generation.” According to UNICEF, only about 100,000 children have been able to return to school so far. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, provides education to another 40,000 children through contracted teachers, but most of its schools have been converted into shelters for displaced families.

Challenges of Reopening Schools

The destruction of educational infrastructure has made reopening schools a logistical nightmare. Many schools were damaged or completely destroyed during the conflict, and many are still being used as temporary shelters. Crickx described the makeshift arrangements: “It’s basically tents among the displaced people’s tents, or it is some prefabs or shelters. It’s very much the most basic learning environment.”

At one UNICEF-supported site in Khan Younis, children crowded together under tents, eager to participate in lessons despite the harsh conditions. Securing supplies has also been a major hurdle. Basic educational materials like pencils, erasers, and even concrete to rebuild damaged schools have been restricted by Israel, which controls the flow of goods into Gaza and considers many items “non-critical, non-life saving.”

Psychological Toll on Children and Families

Even children who manage to attend makeshift schools carry the psychological scars of war and displacement. Juliette Touma, UNRWA communications director, said, “The level of trauma among the people of Gaza, including children, is horrific.” Families continue to live in schools and shelters, often in conditions that make learning nearly impossible. Tahreer al-Oweini, who is raising four children in one such shelter, described her struggle: “I live in a classroom that should be in session with a teacher, students, and a blackboard,” she said. “Around me, damaged walls and ceilings are covered with tarp.”

Al-Oweini expressed frustration at her inability to secure places for her children. “The children forgot everything they learned. Their life over the past two years has been getting water, running after aid vehicles, war, Hamas, shelling, destruction. They have lived in fear or horror,” she said. Despite the hardship, she remains hopeful that her children will one day achieve their ambitions, like becoming doctors or engineers.

Education as a Lifeline

Even during the most intense periods of fighting, some efforts were made to provide lessons in displacement camps and local communities. However, these lessons were sporadic and limited by ongoing bombardment, power cuts, and shortages of food, water, and medicine. UNICEF and UNRWA stress that long-term absence from school risks creating a “lost generation” in Gaza.

Touma warned that children who miss out on education are more vulnerable to exploitation, including child labor, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups. “The longer children stay out of school, the tougher it will be to someday catch up with their peers elsewhere,” she said.

The Road Ahead

Rebuilding Gaza’s education system is a massive undertaking. U.N. agencies are still assessing the full scale of damage, and reconstruction is expected to take years, with estimated costs of up to $70 billion. Displaced families continue to rely on damaged schools for shelter, further complicating efforts to restore normalcy.

Despite the obstacles, there is a collective push to prioritize education as part of Gaza’s broader recovery. UNICEF and UNRWA are working to set up more temporary classrooms, provide materials, and train teachers to operate under crisis conditions. Families like the Younises and al-Oweinis are desperate to ensure their children do not fall permanently behind.

“I want my children to be like their father who finished university,” al-Oweini said. “They have ambition. But if they don’t go to school, they will have no future.” For millions of Palestinian children, the reopening of schools represents more than lessons in reading, writing, and arithmetic—it is a critical step toward psychological recovery, stability, and the possibility of a better future.

Conclusion

As Gaza navigates the aftermath of a devastating conflict, the restoration of education has emerged as a vital component of humanitarian and recovery efforts. While temporary solutions provide a lifeline, the scale of destruction and displacement means that long-term planning, reconstruction, and international support will be essential to prevent an entire generation from being deprived of its right to learn, grow, and dream.