Gaza's Lost Generation: The Devastating Impact of War on Children's Education

Edited by Umar-Mark Victor

Source; AP News

      A displaced child carries filled water bottles at a makeshift tent camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip

         The Gaza Strip, a region already plagued by poverty and conflict, has entered its second school year without formal education. The devastating consequences of Israel's campaign against Hamas have left 625,000 school-age children without access to learning, threatening long-term damage to their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

As the new school year begins, children like Ezz el-Din Qudeh, 14, are forced to abandon their dreams of education. Instead, they work alongside their families to survive, collecting rubble from destroyed buildings to sell for use in constructing graves. "We're not studying and learning like other children our age," Ezz el-Din said. "We're working beyond our capacities to get a living."

The Qudeh family's story is just one of many heartbreaking tales of children caught in the midst of war. With schools shut down since Israel launched its assault on Gaza in October, children are struggling to cope with the loss of education and the trauma of displacement.

Displaced kids Carrying food items in camp

A Generation Lost

       Humanitarian workers warn that the extended deprivation of education threatens long-term damage to Gaza's children. Younger children suffer in their cognitive, social, and emotional development, while older children are at greater risk of being pulled into work or early marriage.

"The longer a child is out of school, the more they are at risk of dropping out permanently and not returning," said Tess Ingram, regional spokesperson for UNICEF. "We're seeing a generation of children who are being denied their fundamental right to education."

Schools in Ruins

       More than 90% of Gaza's school buildings have been damaged by Israeli bombardment, with many beyond repair. The Global Education Cluster estimates that 85% of schools need major reconstruction, which could take years to complete.

Aid groups have worked to set up temporary learning centers, but the results have been limited. UNICEF and other agencies are running 175 centers, serving around 30,000 students, but struggle to get supplies like pens, paper, and books.

Education in Exile

        Parents told Ingram they had seen the emotional changes in their children without the daily stability provided by school and with compounding traumas from displacement, bombardment, and deaths or injuries in the family. Some become sullen and withdrawn, others become easily agitated or frustrated.

Displaced kids going through sewages

A Future Lost

Gaza's schools are packed with homeless families instead of students. The 11-month Israeli campaign has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and brought a humanitarian crisis, with widespread malnutrition and diseases spreading. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials.

The situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of conflict on children's education. As the international community works to address the humanitarian crisis, it is essential to prioritize education and ensure that Gaza's children have access to learning. The future of an entire generation depends on it.