The problem in Gaza
Over 90 percent of schools have been destroyed in Gaza amidst Israel’s ongoing bombardment of the enclave. Humanitarian agencies have warned that the absence of education will leave children with long-term difficulties and make it harder to pick up learning again and the war will have “lasting consequences” on children’s mental well-being.
Gaza’s children are also at risk of child labour, early marriage and recruitment by armed groups as a result of the number of children out of school.
All twelve universities have been destroyed and 630,000 students are unable to access education. At least 9,500 students have been killed and 15,000 wounded, including 5,000 disabled.
At least 19,000 university students have entered Egypt and attempts are being made to allow them to finish their education.
Officials have warned that Gaza’s post-war reconstruction could take decades, raising questions over how young people will receive education trapped in a territory with no schools or universities.
The problem in the West Bank
Military restrictions and settler attacks have made schools in West Bank unsafe for hundreds of Palestinian students.
According to a report by the Palestinian education ministry, 46 schools were attacked by the Israeli army and settlers between 7 October and 13 February.
Even in areas that are deemed relatively safe, hundreds of thousands of students have been engaged in hybrid learning, attending classes at school and receiving e-lessons at home on alternate days.
Since 7 October, about 2,000 Palestinian students in Hebron have been studying online. The Israeli army has closed all roads leading to around 50 schools in the city, installing barriers and checkpoints that have made the route for students treacherous. Residents have also been facing increasing attacks and harassment by Israeli settlers, making parents afraid of sending their children out on the streets.
The vast majority of courses at Birzeit University are now held online. In January 2024 it was the target of two Israeli army raids in three months, with students and teachers arrested and others targeted by settlers. Since then the violence has only become worse.
Academics have to live on reduced salaries throughout the West Bank because of the war, which comes on top of an already shrinking income.
There are financial requirements of online lessons that some families struggle to meet. Inflationary pressures combined with increasing unemployment and declining incomes erode household income to the point where purchasing hardware becomes difficult or even impossible.
The problem in Israel
Palestinian citizens of Israel, unlike a majority of Israelis, have learned, with dread and panic, from Arab news sources, friends and social media the enormous toll of death and destruction suffered by their friends and family in Gaza. The trauma has been compounded by their inability to do or even say much about it. The government has cracked down harshly on criticism of its actions, and even empathy with the Palestinian people in Gaza.
A Palestinian doctor was suspended from his position, a university lecturer fired, Palestinian students at colleges and universities have been suspended or expelled, and other people have been arrested all for social media posts that were often simply misunderstood by those who don’t speak Arabic. Workers have been fired for daring to speak Arabic instead of Hebrew while in post.
Before the war, Palestinian citizens of Israel had to deal with entrenched discrimination but since Oct. 7, their unemployment rate has tripled to 15.6 percent largely because of firings for political reasons, and boycotts and downturns in sectors with a large proportion of Palestinian Israeli workers. The government is also attempting to cut the very budgets dedicated to the development of Palestinian citizens and their integration into the economy.
The hostile environment has also worsened the relationship between Jewish and Palestinian citizens, by marking them as the “enemy within” through repressive tactics. The effect on mental health has been considerable.
What the Galilee Foundation is doing
Although the Galilee Foundation typically works with Palestinian Citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank, in April 2024 the Foundation held a “Gaza in Our Hearts” fundraising gala, which raised funds to support not only the Foundation’s own programmes but new partnerships with Ajyal, IMET-2000 and FQMS, supporting vital educational projects in Gaza.
Laptops and Tablets
To address the dire situation outlined above, the Galilee Foundation is launching an initiative to support the educational needs of students by enabling remote learning, which has been identified as the only feasible route to restoring the educational system in the foreseeable future. Our ambitious project aims to distribute 100,000 tablets to students in Gaza and the West Bank, in order to help financially needy and/or displaced Palestinians students overcome the effects of military occupation, settler violence and war on their ability to access education by using technology to join online courses and remote learning from a safer space. It will also reduce isolation by providing young Palestinians with the tools to network, collaborate and cooperate in their learning even when at a distance from classmates, also contributing to the psychosocial support that traumatised students will need. By enabling Palestinians to access education despite current challenges, we aim to empower them to pursue their ambitions, contribute economically, and rebuild their communities.
Emergency Committee
We are pleased to be in contact with the Emergency Committee, a new body comprising Gazan university administrators and academics from three Higher Educations institutions in Gaza: Al Aqsa University, Al Azhar University and the Islamic University of Gaza. They have issued a call to action, the Unified Emergency Statement by Palestinian Academics and Administrators of Gaza Universities, which urges “all universities and colleagues worldwide to coordinate any academic aid efforts directly with our universities.” This is vital to ensure the rebuilding of the higher education system in Gaza so that it can play a central role in the rebuilding of the Gazan economy and society. You can learn more about the Emergency Committee here.
Projects we are supporting
IMET-2000
We are delighted to be supporting the International Medical Education Trust (IMET-2000) with funding for its prosthetic limbs for child amputees in Gaza project. IMET-2000 is increasingly approached to help children and young individuals with amputated arms and/or legs as a result of the brutal war in Gaza. In this pilot project, and in partnership with the Arab American University in Jenin, IMET-2000 hopes to provide these children with bespoke-built prosthetics, giving them hope for the future and the belief that once the war is over, they can begin to envisage a return to normal life.
FQMS
We are supporting the Al Quds Foundation for Medical Schools in Palestine (FQMS/Hanoon) in their work aiding Gazan medical students affected by the war on Gaza. This project will provide these students with financial support and essential resources, allowing them to continue their education uninterrupted despite the challenging circumstances. FQMS/Hanoon will ensure that these future healthcare professionals receive the support they need to complete their studies.
