Struggling Existence: Gaza Persists Amidst Primitive Living Conditions Following Six Months of Conflict
The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has left a devastating impact on Gaza's education system, particularly for high school students. According to recent reports, more than 5,994 Palestinian students and 266 teachers and administrators have been killed as of Thursday. Over 70% of the more than 33,000 Palestinians killed during the conflict have been children and women.
The situation for education in Gaza is dire. Nearly total destruction of educational infrastructure has occurred, with approximately 95.2% of schools destroyed or rendered inoperable, and all 12 universities in Gaza damaged or destroyed. This massive devastation has deprived hundreds of thousands of students of formal education.
More than 76,000 high school students were unable to sit for their general secondary examinations as reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Education in mid-2025, reflecting the disruption of critical educational milestones. Over 660,000 children, including high schoolers, have been unable to attend school for over a year and a half.
In response, UN agencies like UNRWA and UNICEF have established temporary learning spaces, reached tens of thousands of children with psychosocial support, provided improvised school furniture, and deployed digital tools for remote education to help some students continue learning despite the chaos.
However, the ongoing conflict, with repeated attacks on schools and educational staff, results in severe trauma and uncertainty. Not only does it physically impair access to schooling, but it also deeply affects the social and emotional wellbeing of students.
The conflict has also caused widespread displacement and hardship. Families like Suhaila al-Saqqa's have been forced to adapt to primitive living conditions due to the lack of essential supplies like electricity, water, fuel, and cooking gas. Iman al-Saqqa, a one-year-old, took her first barefoot steps in a makeshift shelter in Gaza's Deir al-Balah.
Zaina al-Rayyes, a 17-year-old displaced Palestinian, is tracking the news of the upcoming Tawjihi (final high school) exams for her peers in the occupied West Bank. She laments that both her academic and social life have been put on hold indefinitely due to the ongoing conflict.
The future of Gaza's education system remains uncertain, but the scale of destruction and ongoing violence create an unprecedented educational crisis. Efforts by international organizations provide some mitigation, but the situation remains critical.
- The impact of war-and-conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, on Palestine's education system deserves a comprehensive analysis.
- In the middle east, the security situation in Gaza, particularly concerning education, requires immediate attention and intervention.
- The ravaged education system in Gaza, necessitating education-and-self-development support, has been documented extensively by media outlets worldwide.
- The ongoing conflict in Palestine has led to an increase in general-news coverage, significantly focusing on its devastating effects on the education sector.
- The killing of students and teachers in Palestine has attracted strong political opinions, with calls for increased security measures in the region.
- Amidst the chaos, online-education platforms have emerged as a possible solution for the disrupted learning of students in Palestine.
- Crime-and-justice, including car-accidents and fires, have also surged in the unstable environment of Gaza, distracting from the urgency of educational recovery.
- The learning environment in Palestine warrants lifelong-learning for educators and students alike as they navigate this critical phase of reconstruction.
- To help prevent the loss of an entire generation due to the ongoing conflict, it is essential to prioritize the education system's security and wellbeing in responses to crises in Palestine and beyond.
