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Gaza Students Sit Crucial Online Exams Amid War and Ruins
Even in ruins, Gaza's students won't give up. 1,500 Palestinian students are sitting their final high school exams online amid Israel's war. With no schools, no books, and weak internet—education resists.
ND
by News Desk
2025-07-19
Gaza Students Sit Crucial Online Exams Amid War and Ruins

Despite the devastating war and destruction of Gaza’s education system, about 1,500 Palestinian students are taking their final secondary school exams, determined not to let war erase their future.

The Ministry of Education in Gaza has launched the enclave’s first-ever online examination platform to allow high school seniors to take their end-of-school exam, a key requirement for university admission and scholarship eligibility.

This exam, held on Saturday, marks the first such academic milestone since Israel launched its relentless assault on Gaza following the Hamas-led attack in October 2023. With more than 95% of Gaza’s education infrastructure destroyed and hundreds of thousands of students displaced, this digital initiative has become a lifeline for those still hoping for a future.

Students are taking the exams from wherever possible—damaged homes, tents, shelters, or cafes—with many relying on weak internet connections and limited access to devices. Despite these overwhelming challenges, they are showing extraordinary resilience.

“Even in a warzone, with no classrooms, no books and barely any internet, Gaza’s students are showing up, logging in and sitting their final exam,” reported Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum from Deir el-Balah. “They are refusing to let war erase their future.”

According to exam director Morad al-Agha, a mock test was held prior to the official exam to test both the system and the students’ readiness. Some teachers, like Enam Abu Slisa, have reopened damaged classrooms to offer students guidance and help them navigate the unfamiliar digital format.

However, the difficulties are immense. “The internet is weak, many of us don’t have devices, and we lost our books in the bombardment,” student Doha Khatab told Al Jazeera. “There’s no safe space to take the test.”

The UN estimates over 660,000 children are currently out of school in Gaza. Most UNRWA schools have been repurposed into shelters and are repeatedly targeted in Israeli attacks. A recent UN Human Rights Council report has stated that Israeli forces systematically destroyed educational infrastructure in Gaza—actions potentially constituting war crimes.

But amid destruction, Gaza’s youth continue to fight for a future—armed not with weapons, but with determination and courage.
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