In North Sinai, Egypt, Huda Za'aroub, a Palestinian teacher, witnesses the arrival of dozens of displaced Gaza children to the only Palestinian school in the area, which she established after the devastating war.
Establishment of the School Following the War
These students are part of hundreds of Palestinian children who have been displaced from their homes due to the war between Israel and Hamas and are now living in El Arish, located 44 kilometers from the Gaza border. Za'aroub, who also fled Gaza due to the war, said: "They fled to Egypt and found themselves here without a school or education, so I decided to establish an educational center for them."
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This teacher, who is in her early thirties, fled Gaza with her family six months after the war began in October 2023. They settled in El Arish, which is a hub for aid and medical evacuations from Gaza, and began a new life with the help of their relatives.
A School for Hope and Learning
Huda Za'aroub, along with other displaced Palestinian teachers, initiated this project by offering lessons to a small group of children in a rented building. This initiative soon transformed into a free school that now accommodates nearly 400 students aged six to eighteen.
Today, this center is the only Palestinian school in North Sinai, a remote area that has been under security operations against Islamist militants for years. In the schoolyard, children wearing black and white checkered hats and traditional Palestinian clothing wave Palestinian flags and sing the morning anthem together.
Many of the students have come to El Arish seeking treatment for war-related injuries, and while some are receiving medical care, most live in temporary accommodations provided for free by Egyptian authorities.
According to Za'aroub, this school not only focuses on teaching subjects but also helps children recover from the psychological pressures of war and displacement and maintain their sense of belonging.
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