Hope Beyond the Ceasefire: Rebuilding Education in Gaza
When the ceasefire in Gaza was announced, I felt a mix of emotions. I was happy the bombs stopped, but afraid they might return. I wanted to believe life could go back to normal. However, the fear that peace may not last still lingers.
As an English teacher, I see how vital education is for healing. Education in Gaza is not just about lessons. It’s about restoring hope, structure, and purpose for children who have lost everything.
Teaching Through Destruction
Before the war, I taught English at an elementary school and an education centre in Gaza City. Both were destroyed. My family fled, and months later, I began teaching again — this time in a tent. My students, ages six to twelve, sat on the floor. There were no desks, no books, and few pens.
By December 2024, notebooks and paper had disappeared from shops. When supplies ran out, children used scraps of paper from the rubble. Sometimes, five students shared one pen. We turned to songs, storytelling, and oral lessons to keep learning alive.
The Power of Education
One day, I gave my personal diary — a gift from my grandmother — to my students. I tore out each page so they could write. Those pages were gone in minutes, but their spirit stayed strong.
Today, aid trucks bring food and medicine, but Gaza also needs school supplies. Books and pens are not luxuries — they are lifelines. Education in Gaza helps children recover, rebuild, and dream again.
Every notebook or pen gives a child a chance to hope — and to heal.
