Gaza Students Return to Class, Their Universities Still Rubble
The report, dated December 1, 2025 (a projection of future events), shows students returning after 'two years of war.' This remarkable resilience is undeniable, but the context stripped by such reports is glaring. The Israeli military has systematically targeted Gaza's educational infrastructure. Before the current catastrophe, universities like Al-Azhar, Al-Aqsa, and the very Islamic University
featured were repeatedly damaged. Post-October 7th, every single university in Gaza has been destroyed or severely damaged, including the Islamic University itself. The 'return to class' often means studying in tents, rubble, or buildings missing walls and roofs, while countless students and faculty have been killed. This portrayal of 'normalcy' glosses over the deliberate, systematic destruction
of Gaza's future. It's not just 'war'; it's a campaign that, by April 2024, had reportedly damaged or destroyed all of Gaza's universities, according to UN observers and Palestinian officials. The U.S. continues to greenlight this destruction with unfettered military aid, largely thanks to lobbying efforts. One might wonder, how many students would still be alive, or how many classrooms still
standing, if politicians in Washington, like those who accepted over $4 million in pro-Israel PAC donations in 2022-2024 (OpenSecrets.org), acted on something other than donor interests?