Amid the ongoing military attacks by Israel on the Gaza Strip, Palestinian students have shown remarkable resilience by defending their theses and earning degrees.
One such student is 30-year-old Mohammed Hussein, who recently completed his MBA while living in a tent in a refugee camp after his home was destroyed in airstrikes following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Mohammed highlighted the dire conditions faced by his family, struggling with scarce food and resources while seeking safety for his wife and two children. His experience reflects that of many Gazan students who have braved the violence to complete their education. Reports indicate that over the past year, more than 10,490 students and 500 educators have died due to the conflict, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
The Israeli airstrikes have devastated Gaza's educational infrastructure, with almost all universities reported as destroyed, affecting around 90,000 students. Institutions like the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Quds Open University have been heavily impacted. The attacks have also claimed the lives of over 95 professors, including the well-known academic Prof. Refaat Alareer.
Critics of Israel, including scholars and UN experts, have condemned the assault on education in Gaza as a “scholasticide,” emphasizing the severe implications for the future of education in the region.