KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - Thousands of Palestinian children living in camps in the Gaza Strip under daily Israeli bombardment are hoping to return to classrooms that, in many cases, no longer exist.
After nearly two years of continuous Israeli bombardment, children in Gaza say they are overwhelmed by daily survival tasks and growing emotional trauma, and they are missing their right to an education.
“We’ve been deprived of school education for three years,” said Salma Amin Hussein al-Ghalban, a young girl living in a camp. “We suffer when it comes to getting clean water and food. We are calling for an end to the war so we can go back to school, go back to our homes, and live our normal lives again like before.”
Since the war began in October 2023, more than 20,000 children have been killed, according to the aid agency Save the Children. The United Nations said that 660,000 children are being deprived of schooling for a third consecutive year and 97% of school buildings in Gaza have been damaged.
Without access to education, many children have taken on responsibilities to help provide for their families.
Jamal Saksuk collects firewood to help his family buy basic necessities.
“I’ve been out of school for three straight years,” he said. “Every day, we also go out to fetch water. I call for an end to the war so we can live a dignified life and I demand my right to education, just like all the children of the world.”
The psychological toll on children in Gaza is growing and experts warn of long-term mental health effects.
“We’re talking about 700,000 children being deprived of education,” said Mohammed Abu al-Khair, a psychologist based in Gaza. “This has had a deeply negative impact on their mental health and on the emotional well-being of their families. Children should have the opportunity to go to school, express their talents and ideas, and dream about becoming doctors, engineers, or pilots. All of those hopes have been shattered by the ongoing war.”