{"id":575,"date":"2026-01-06T11:27:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=575"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:27:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:27:29","slug":"gaza-kids-face-sniper-fire-to-reach-makeshift-tent-classrooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-ahwaz.com\/?p=575","title":{"rendered":"Gaza kids face sniper fire to reach makeshift tent classrooms","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

In a modest tent filled with dust and school bags, seven-year-old Tulin<\/strong> gets ready for her first school day after a two-year hiatus. The moment, normally associated with joy, is instead overshadowed by the echo of ongoing gunfire nearby. Gaza education<\/a><\/strong> sector has been heavily impacted by the conflict, with most school buildings rendered unusable. In response, communities in northern Gaza have organised learning spaces inside tents positioned in what Israel refers to as the \u201cyellow zone<\/a>\u201d<\/strong>, a strip of land only a few metres away from active military lines.<\/p>\n

Tulin\u2019s mother described the daily anxiety that accompanies the short walk to class.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cUntil she arrives safely, I feel my chest tighten,\u201d she said.
\u201cI sometimes follow her steps without noticing. But I want her to learn. We refuse to let fear erase her future.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Tulin, who should currently be in second grade, would have been progressing normally had schooling not been interrupted. Despite the uncertainty, her family insists on keeping her enrolled.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Take the Sleeping Position\u2019: Lessons Paused by Snipers<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The route to school passes through piles of concrete and fragmented neighbourhoods. Tulin admitted that open areas frighten her most.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m scared of the shooting,\u201d she said.
\u201cThere are no walls left to stand behind if bullets come our way.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inside the tents, there are no reinforced barriers. The fabric walls offer no protection, yet dozens of children sit cross-legged on the ground, following lessons with full concentration.<\/p>\n

A teacher working at one of these tent schools explained the tense rhythm of each day \u2014 where learning must sometimes pause for safety drills.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhen shots start, we tell them to lie flat on the ground.\u201d
\u201cIt gives me chills every time. We pray, then continue when it gets quiet again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The educator contrasted the crisis with a powerful message.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cTheir strategy is darkness. Ours is education.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Students Carry Personal Loss, But Not Their Resolve<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Among the pupils is Ahmed<\/strong>, a child who lost his father in the war. Despite the grief and danger, he returns every day.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe arrive with fear, and we leave the same way,\u201d he said.
\u201cBut I want to make my father proud. He wanted me to be a doctor, so I will keep studying.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Gaza<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

UNICEF: 98% of Schools Damaged<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The situation in Beit Lahiya mirrors a broader disruption of education across the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

Kazem Abu Khalaf<\/strong>, spokesperson for UNICEF in Palestine<\/strong><\/a>, stated earlier this week that the impact on schooling is unprecedented.<\/p>\n