Students Return to Campus Despite Devastation
After two years of disruption, students at the Islamic University of Gaza have returned to in-person classes, navigating a campus ravaged by Israel’s October 2023 offensive. The university now also shelters approximately 500 displaced families living in buildings reduced to hollow shells.
Tents dot the campus grounds where lecture halls once stood, symbolizing the dual crises of displacement and educational collapse in Gaza.
“This place is for education. It’s not meant to be a shelter – it’s a place for our children to study,” said Atta Siam, a displaced student from Jabalia.
Systematic Destruction of Gaza’s Education Sector
The conflict has devastated Gaza’s higher education infrastructure, with UNESCO reporting that over 95% of campuses were severely damaged or destroyed.
The Gaza-based Al Mezan Center for Human Rights estimates:
- 494 schools and universities partially or completely destroyed
- 137 educational buildings reduced to rubble
- 12,800 students killed
- 760 teachers and staff killed
- 150 academics and researchers killed
The destruction of Gaza’s last functioning university, Isra University, in January 2024, left students with few options for continued learning.
Improvised Learning Amid Crisis
Professors at the Islamic University are improvising classrooms, covering walls with plastic sheets, borrowing generators for electricity, and operating with only four functional classrooms.
“We are building everything from scratch,” said Youmna Albaba, a first-year medical student. “Despite all this, I am happy because I attend lectures in person.”
Remote learning initiatives have been hindered by power cuts, internet outages, and displacement, further complicating students’ access to education.
UN experts warned in April 2024 that the widespread destruction of schools and universities could constitute deliberate attempts to dismantle the foundations of Palestinian society.
Hope Amid Hardship
Despite ongoing challenges—including shortages of food, water, and medical care—students in Gaza prioritize education as a way to reclaim normalcy and protect their futures. The reopening of the Islamic University is seen as a symbol of resilience and hope for Palestinian youth.
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