Children in northern Gaza are risking their lives every day to attend classes in makeshift tent schools set up near Israeli positions, as UNICEF warns that the trauma of war will have long-term consequences for the younger generation.
In Beit Lahiya, students from displaced families attend classes in what Israel has declared the “yellow zone,” a dangerous territory west of the separation line, often just meters from the firing lines. The war has destroyed much of Gaza’s educational infrastructure, forcing families and teachers to create makeshift learning environments amidst the rubble.
In a small tent, amid the constant sound of gunfire, seven-year-old Tulin prepares for her first day of school after two years of absence. For her mother, the journey to school is a constant experience of fear. “Until my daughter arrives at school, I walk with my heart in my hand,” she said. “I often follow her out of fear, but I want her to learn. Under normal circumstances, she would be in second grade by now.”
The path to class is dangerous. Amid the ruins of the city, children walk in open spaces, exposed to gunfire. “When I go to school, I’m afraid of bullets,” Tulin said. “There are no walls to hide behind.”
There is no safety even inside the tents. The canvas walls offer no protection from bullets, while students sit on the ground to attend classes. One teacher described how the learning process is often interrupted by sniper fire. “When the shooting starts, we tell the children to lie down on the ground,” she said. “We pray that no one gets hurt. Yet we continue. The occupation’s policy is ignorance, while ours is knowledge.”
Among the students is Ahmed, who lost his father during the war. “We come and go with difficulty because of the shooting,” he said. “But I want to fulfill my martyred father’s dream of becoming a doctor.”
International organizations warn that in addition to physical danger, Gaza's children are facing profound psychological trauma, which could affect their development and future for years.
