76 years have passed on to the advent of the Palestine-Israel conflict yet the recent bombings by Israel are nothing like before. On 7th October 2023, Israel categorically declared war on Palestine after encountering retaliation from Hamas and its genocidal tendencies have been on a rise ever since. Amongst all that Gaza is losing to this war, education remains on top of them. Just a few weeks ago, on the fourth of November, Israel destroyed the Gazan campus of Al-Azhar University, finishing off the last connections of the city to an higher education institute. Eleven of the higher educational institutes in the city have either been completely or partially destroyed. Nineteen of them face disruptions in serving their purpose, depriving 88,000 students of education. With destruction of university buildings and targeted killings of academics, one cannot help but wonder about the future of higher education in Gaza. It seems as if educational loss is a permanent scar that the Palestinians are enduring amidst the genocide.
There is no doubt in the fact that targeting of universities is a strategic move on behalf of Israel. By destroying universities and killing teachers, the Israeli state wants to deprive an entire generation of Palestinians from bright educational futures. However, it is important to note that this destruction of universities comes at a great cost for Gaza. University campuses are being demolished, teachers and students are being killed. All the scientific and research equipment is lost. Amidst this genocide, where basic amenities have also become a luxury for civilians, rebuilding Gaza's educational landscape will require years only if a ceasefire is conducted at the earliest. Time, energy planning and a faculty will be needed to grace the campuses. Yet, with the current situation, the future remains grim. Most of the students remain traumatised due to the proceedings of the war, slowing their educational progress and putting forward the consideration that it will not be as easy to continue these proceedings even if institutions come into place again.
Destruction of physical infrastructure coupled with the mental trauma that the Palestinian population is facing due to this conflict signals to the fact that it will require quite sometime till education, particularly higher education in Gaza could be restored to normalcy. University losses in Gaza then come off as a grave concern.
Thank you for this, I agree with you, the buildings can be remade, the infrastructure can be build again but what about the psychological trauma? how will that be undone? How will they make up for the months of education that has been lost? How will the children reintegrate back into the society? What is the west doing about it? how will this conflict be mitigated? clearly, there are internal workings of power structures that are working to keep one community suppressed, this also relates to the "Power and Empowerment" reading that we did.
It is truly harrowing to think what will happen if this war continues on for much longer, or what will happen once the war ends. Physically damaged buildings take funds and effort from the state to build back, and with the constant threat of an enemy hovering above them, it would not be far off to imagine that education would be relatively low on the priority list for any future government, meaning a whole generation, or even more, will suffer because of a lack of education. It is probably in such situations where aid would be required to rebuild the educational sector. What are your views on this?
Anyone whose heart bleeds for Palestine and its children, you've genuinely summed up their questions and feelings about the situation in your blog. If the ceasefire happens, one can't help but question, Now what?
Is recovery even possible? Palestinian sufferings can never be forgotten—the ones left after the genocide, 'survivors' if you can call them. The trauma and pain will become a part of these children. They have seen too much too soon. There is nothing like going back to their everyday life; this is the new normal.
It will take decades to rebuild the education system in Palestine. Meanwhile, the surviving children, if they continue in any part of the world, no amount of therapy or mental support can…
Thank you for the insightful blog, Sarwat. You've highlighted one of the most severe issues Palestine is facing right now. The destruction of school and university buildings and the mass murder of students and teachers is a horrific thing to even imagine. I couldn't help but remember how our hearts bled after the APS attack. While physical infrastructure can be restored and buildings renovated, the mental trauma caused by this genocide will take decades to heal. Students in Pakistan who didn't even witness the APS attack but remember the horrific details still have PTSD from the aftermath of it. Where is the humanity of the world's powerful forces? Especially the Saudi leaders, who are considered the most influential Muslim leaders…
Thank you Sarwat for highlighting one of the grave losses that Palestine is experiencing which isn't just impacting their current population but will have a severe impact on the upcoming generations. As discussed in the class swell regarding this particular conflict, it is clear to say that this is a genocide rather than a war where the majority of innocent children are dying at the hands of the Israeli government. Along with their loss of lives, the children that are even surviving this terrible time, are still suffering due to their dark future ahead. The question that arises in my head is that it will take decades for Palestine to recover from the damages incurred including loss of educational institutions,…