What is left of Gaza City (Photo Credit Palestine Embassy, Harare)
By George Swarei
The higher education system in Gaza has faced complete devastation amidst ongoing military actions by Israeli forces, resulting in the destruction or severe damage of all 12 universities in the region. This systematic obliteration has left over 625,000 students without access to education.
Reports indicate that more than 5,479 students, 261 teachers, and 95 university professors have been killed, with the numbers expected to rise. Additionally, over 7,819 students and 756 teachers have been injured as the assault continues. The destruction is being labeled as “scholasticide,” a term used to describe the systematic annihilation of education.
Numerous cultural heritage sites, including libraries, archives, and museums, have also been targeted, further contributing to the cultural and educational void in Gaza. These actions are being scrutinized as potential breaches of international humanitarian law and war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe Tamer Almassri (photo credit Palestine Embassy, Harare)
Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe Tamer Almassri has called on the international community to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure the rebuilding of the education system. “The targeting of schools and universities must be condemned unequivocally,” Almassri stated. “Accountability for these violations includes an obligation to finance and rebuild the education system.”
The educational crisis is not confined to Gaza alone. Similar intensification of scholasticide has been reported in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Israeli military raids on educational institutions, arrests, and restrictions on movement have severely undermined academic freedom and disrupted educational activities. This has been exacerbated by the long-standing historical targeting of Palestinian intellectuals and cultural producers.
The ongoing military offensive has also disrupted the Tawjihi high school final exams, affecting approximately 39,000 students in Gaza. These exams are crucial for university admission prospects, further impeding the academic and professional future of many Palestinian youths.
Palestinians, who boast one of the highest literacy rates globally at 97.7%, now face unprecedented challenges in maintaining their educational standards and cultural heritage amidst the conflict.
The situation in Gaza underscores the broader implications of the conflict on the region’s intellectual and cultural landscape, as the destruction of educational and cultural institutions continues unabated.