By Al Jazeera, Associated Press and Reuters
Published on 21 September 2026
Hundreds of thousands of children resumed in-person schooling in Gaza on Saturday, marking the first time in almost three years that they have attended classes, entering damaged buildings, temporary classrooms, and tents under a critical shortage of essential supplies.
UNICEF reports that 98% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged during Israel’s war on the enclave, and local education authorities estimate that roughly 660,000 students have been denied regular, face-to-face instruction.
The reopening represents a fragile milestone in a region where approximately 22,000 students and over 770 education personnel—including 532 teachers—have been killed, according to Ibrahim Ramadan, director of education for eastern Khan Younis.
“The last time I attended school was three years ago,” said student Moayed Abu Mustafa from Khan Younis. “Now we are beginning a new school year, one filled with joy, hope, and success. Despite everything, we will learn—even if it’s inside a tent.”
Moayed lacks proper shoes, a notebook, or a pen, and will sit on the floor of a sweltering tent.
Nationwide, the Ministry of Education, in partnership with aid agencies, has established dozens of temporary schools using tarpaulins, sheet metal, and wood. Some classrooms are little more than mattresses and a blackboard, while others double as shelters for displaced families.
“We studied on our phones and hadn’t seen our teachers. Now we are back, pursuing our dreams, moving from one tent to another,” said 15‑year‑old Samar Abu Salmi, who lives in a tent with her family and can no longer afford the school supplies that were once inexpensive.
Stationery trader Khaled Aliyan noted that Israeli import restrictions have caused prices to rise fivefold, adding, “All stationery items are now prohibitively expensive.”
Israeli forces continue to control more than 60% of Gaza, even after the October 2025 “ceasefire” that halted large‑scale fighting but failed to resolve the underlying conflict.