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'When I go to study, I am terrified of strikes' – Gazan children start new school term in makeshift tents under harrowing conditions

'When I go to study, I am terrified of strikes' – Gazan children start new school term in makeshift tents under harrowing conditions

"As the new school term began in northern Gaza, thousands of children resumed their studies in makeshift schools accommodated in blue plastic tents, located near the so-called 'yellow line' - a borderline established by the Israeli forces. Footage filmed on Monday shows a boy walking through rubble on his way to school, while other children are seen learning inside a makeshift tent at the Northern Educational School in Beit Lahiya. Mona Al Zanati, the mother of one of the school children, highlighted the daily risks posed to families living near the 'yellow line'. "[When] I feel that the situation is calm, I should send my son to school. He is still a child, and there are so many things he needs to learn that I cannot teach," she explained. Yamen Al Zanati, a displaced student, shared that he feels insecure every time he goes to school, because he is 'terrified of the bombing and strikes' that left him with an abdominal injury. However, the boy remains resolute to pursue his studies, adding, "I must learn because I have not been attending classes for two years." Kazem Abu Khalaf, a spokesperson for UNICEF, stated in October 2025 that 670,000 students in Gaza have been deprived of their education over the past two years. Meanwhile, approximately 97 per cent of Gaza's school buildings have sustained major damage. This comes amid an ongoing ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, announced as part of the Trump-backed 20-point plan. The deal includes an immediate cessation of hostilities, the release of all hostages, living or deceased, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip."