GAZA – Pupils return to school after nearly three years

– Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza have returned to school for the first time in nearly three years. Lessons are taking place in damaged buildings, temporary schools and tents, while many families cannot afford to buy books, notebooks, pens or uniforms, according to Reuters.

According to UNICEF, 98% of schools in Gaza were damaged or destroyed during the war.

Palestinian education authorities say about 660,000 pupils have been left without regular classroom learning during the conflict.

For the 2026-2027 school year, about 540,000 pupils are expected to attend in-person lessons in temporary schools, improvised learning centers and other facilities built with tents, sheet metal, wood and other materials.

For children who cannot attend physically, online learning will continue.

Many of these facilities lack normal learning conditions.

Some classes have been set up on sand, while in others pupils sit on mattresses and have only a blackboard.

Some facilities continue to be used by displaced families.

Pupils have said that, despite the difficult conditions, they want to return to school.

School materials have also become much more expensive. A trader in Gaza said a notebook that cost 3 shekels (0.86 euros) before the war now sells for about 15 shekels (4.32 euros), while restrictions on supplies have affected availability and driven up prices.

According to Reuters, Palestinian authorities say more than 73,000 people have been killed in the Israeli offensive in Gaza, launched after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.