In the Musa family residence in Khan Younis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip that has become synonymous with the architectural and humanitarian toll of modern warfare, the arrival of July 24 marked a rare moment of triumph. For three siblings—Sama, Abdullah, and Nada Musa—the announcement of this year’s high school examination results represented the culmination of a grueling academic journey pursued under the shadow of what international observers and local residents describe as a campaign of total devastation. Despite the pervasive atmosphere of uncertainty and the physical destruction surrounding them, the siblings managed to insulate their academic ambitions from the chaos of the ongoing conflict, focusing entirely on the Tawjihi, the high-stakes standardized examinations that dictate the academic and professional trajectories of Palestinian students.
The anxiety that usually precedes the release of exam results was amplified by the extraordinary circumstances of the past year. However, for the Musa family, trepidation was replaced by a profound sense of communal celebration when it was confirmed that all three siblings had passed with exceptional honors. Sama Musa achieved a remarkable score of 97.5 percent, the highest among the trio. Her brother Abdullah followed closely with 94.6 percent, while her sister Nada secured 94.4 percent. These scores, which would be considered elite under any circumstances, have been hailed as a testament to the endurance of the Palestinian educational spirit in the face of systemic collapse.
The Academic Path Through a War Zone
Sama Musa, reflecting on her achievement, described the road to success as "exceptional and difficult." In an interview with Al Jazeera, she expressed a mixture of gratitude and high standards, noting that while she had originally aimed for an even higher grade, the external environment played an unavoidable role in the final outcome. "Thank God for everything," Sama said. "I expected a higher grade, but the circumstances determined the result we achieved. Even psychologically, a person did not have the energy to continue, but I challenged all circumstances so I could make my family happy and achieve the grade I had dreamed of for years."
The challenge was compounded for Abdullah and Nada, both of whom live with physical disabilities. In a region where infrastructure has been decimated, the accessibility of private tutoring centers or even functional school buildings became non-existent. To bridge this gap, the family’s mother, Hind Muhanna, coordinated a makeshift educational network, arranging for teachers to visit their home despite the risks posed by ongoing military operations and the difficulty of navigating uprooted roads.
"We worked very hard for them, and today I am reaping the fruits of their success," Muhanna stated. She emphasized that a significant portion of their success was rooted in psychological fortification. From the earliest years of their schooling, the parents sought to instill a sense of confidence in Abdullah and Nada that transcended their physical limitations. "We always made them feel that they were better than everyone else," she added, noting that observers often inquired about the "secret" behind the siblings’ unwavering self-assurance.
A Statistical Overview of Gaza’s Educational Crisis
The success of the Musa siblings stands in stark contrast to the broader statistical reality facing the Palestinian education sector. According to Palestinian Minister of Education Amjad Barham, approximately 89,000 students across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip sat for the Tawjihi this year. The logistical feat of administering these exams was further complicated by the displacement of the population; an additional 2,000 students took their exams in 46 different countries, having fled the violence in their homeland.
The human cost of the conflict on the student population is staggering. Minister Barham reported that more than 1,100 students who were registered to take the Tawjihi exams this year were killed by Israeli military actions before they could ever set foot in an exam hall. Over the past three years, more than 106,000 students in Gaza have attempted the Tawjihi, with 36,900 students participating in the 2026 cycle.
The physical infrastructure of learning has fared no better. United Nations data released in late 2023, following a brief humanitarian truce, indicated that more than 97 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip had sustained damage or were completely destroyed over the preceding two years of intensified conflict. The UN warned that the educational system was on the verge of total collapse, with 92 percent of all educational facilities requiring major rehabilitation or full reconstruction to become functional again. This "scholasticide"—a term increasingly used by academics to describe the systematic destruction of a people’s educational heritage—has left thousands of students without desks, books, or safe spaces to learn.
The Role of Educators in a Conflict Zone
Behind the high percentages and celebratory certificates are the educators who transformed shelters and tents into classrooms. Hanaa al-Sayed, a mathematics teacher, became a pivotal figure for students in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza. Operating out of an educational center that was simultaneously serving as a shelter for thousands of displaced families, al-Sayed provided more than just curriculum instruction.
"The students did not only need someone to explain the curriculum; they needed someone to listen to them and stand beside them," al-Sayed explained. She described a classroom environment where students sat on thin mats on the floor, lacking the basic dignity of desks or chairs. The school was physically partitioned between those seeking refuge from bombardment and those seeking an education, yet the two worlds constantly bled into one another.
Al-Sayed noted that many of her students were carrying "heavy psychological loads," having lost parents, siblings, or their homes. Her approach was to provide psychological first aid before attempting to teach complex equations. "I treated them as if they were my own daughters," she said. She observed that the war had actually reinvigorated a desire for education in some who had previously lost interest. "There were students who had lost hope of completing their education before the war, but they returned and decided to start again. This reflects the level of determination and desire to achieve their dreams."
Case Study: The Resilience of Tala Abu Sukkar
While the Musa family celebrated a collective victory, for other students, the Tawjihi results were a poignant reminder of those who were no longer there to share the moment. Tala Abu Sukkar, a resident of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, exemplifies the profound personal tragedy embedded in this year’s academic cycle.
Tala’s history of loss began long before the current escalation; she lost her mother, Salwa, in 2010. However, the recent conflict claimed the remainder of her immediate support system. In rapid succession, she lost her older brother Yusuf, her father Mahmoud, her sister, and four of her nephews and nieces. Now living under the care of her uncle, Tala navigated the most difficult academic year of her life while processing a level of grief that would be debilitating for most adults.
"The hardest thing was continuing my path while carrying all this pain inside me," Tala said. She achieved an average score of 86 percent, a feat she dedicated to her late father. Upon receiving her results, she described a "mixed emotion" of joy and profound longing. "I was happy that I succeeded, but I wished my father and my family members were with me to share this joy." Her uncle’s support was the primary catalyst that prevented her from abandoning her studies entirely.
Chronology of Education Under Fire
The timeline of the current educational crisis in Gaza provides a sobering context for these individual success stories:
- October 2023: Formal schooling is suspended indefinitely across the Gaza Strip as military operations begin. Schools are converted into emergency shelters for hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians.
- November 2023: The UN and various NGOs report that the majority of the strip’s educational infrastructure has been hit by airstrikes or artillery.
- Early 2024: "Tent schools" and informal learning centers begin to emerge in the "Middle Area" and Rafah, driven by volunteer teachers and NGOs attempting to provide a sense of normalcy for children.
- May – June 2024: Despite the lack of electricity, internet, and consistent safety, the Ministry of Education coordinates the logistics for the Tawjihi exams, including the transfer of papers and the securing of exam sites.
- July 2024: Results are released, revealing that despite the "scholasticide," Palestinian students achieved some of the highest passing rates in the region, highlighting a culture that views education as a form of non-violent resistance.
Broader Implications and the Future of Gaza’s Youth
The success of students like the Musa siblings and Tala Abu Sukkar carries weight far beyond their individual report cards. In a territory where the economy is in ruins and the future of sovereignty is uncertain, education remains the primary "portable" asset for Gazans. The high scores in the Tawjihi exams are a signal to the international community that the human capital of Gaza remains vibrant, even if the physical capital is destroyed.
However, the implications are also cautionary. With the destruction of all major universities in Gaza—including the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University—those who have passed their high school exams now face a secondary crisis: a lack of higher education infrastructure. Without international intervention to provide scholarships or remote learning opportunities, this "successful" generation risks becoming a "lost" generation, possessing the credentials for the future but lacking the institutions to realize it.
Ultimately, the stories emerging from this year’s Tawjihi results underscore a fundamental truth about the Palestinian experience: education is perceived as a lifeline. For the students of Khan Younis, Bureij, and Deir el-Balah, the pursuit of a high school diploma is not merely an academic requirement; it is a defiant act of hope and a declaration that their futures cannot be erased by the munitions of war.
