540,000 Gaza Students Return to Class After 3 Years

For the first time in nearly three years, children across Gaza are sitting in classrooms again, determined to learn no matter what walls surround them.

About 540,000 students returned to school on September 19, filling tent classrooms, damaged buildings, and temporary structures cobbled together from tarpaulins and wood. After years of violence that displaced almost the entire population and destroyed most buildings, education is finally resuming in Gaza.

"The last time I have been to school was three years ago," said student Moayed Abu Mustafa in Khan Younis. "Now, we are starting the school year; it is a year of joy, happiness and success."

Moayed has no proper shoes, notebook, or pen, and sits on the floor in a sweltering tent. Yet his spirit reflects the determination of hundreds of thousands of students returning to learning.

The challenges are immense. UNICEF reports that 98% of schools in Gaza were destroyed or damaged. About 22,000 students and more than 770 education workers lost their lives during the conflict.

But the response has been remarkable. The Ministry of Education, working with aid agencies, has set up dozens of temporary schools from basic materials. Some classrooms consist of just a few mattresses and a blackboard.

Fifteen-year-old Samar Abu Salmi lives in a tent with her family and can no longer afford school supplies that were cheap before the war. "We studied on phones, and we haven't seen our teachers," she said. "Now, we are back pursuing our dream from one tent to another."

Before January, only about 317,000 students were attending face-to-face classes, with another 120,000 learning virtually from teachers in the West Bank. The September reopening represents a major expansion of in-person education.

The Bright Side: Even with devastating infrastructure loss and severe supply shortages, teachers showed up. Students showed up. Families prioritized education despite having lost nearly everything. In a territory where most buildings lie in ruins, the commitment to learning remains unbroken.

The fragile October 2025 ceasefire that reduced violence has created just enough stability for this educational milestone. While Israeli forces still control more than 60% of Gaza and the underlying conflict remains unresolved, children are seizing this moment to reclaim their futures.

"Despite all of this, we will learn," Moayed declared. "We will learn even in a tent."