No school, living in a tent, but it’s exam time in Gaza

What Happened

In Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, 18‑year‑old Dana Shabat is walking an hour each day to a café to take her tawjihi (high‑school graduation) exams online, because war has destroyed most schools and displaced her family from Beit Hanoon. The exams — the first held in coordination with the Palestinian Authority since 7 October 2023 — are being taken by 37,000 students in Gaza via internet‑connected phones, while West Bank students sit them in examination halls. Dana’s mother, Lina, was killed in an Israeli strike in May 2024, and the family now lives in a tent. According to Al Jazeera, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began; Israeli forces have razed Beit Hanoon and continue periodic attacks despite a ceasefire.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The online administration of the tawjihi underscores the collapse of Gaza’s education system under Israeli military operations and mass displacement. The exams, a gateway to university and scholarships, represent the future hopes of a generation shaped by war. The Palestinian Authority’s coordination with Gaza signals a fragile administrative link between the two territories, while the humanitarian conditions — no schools, intermittent electricity, and tent dwellings — amplify the long‑term developmental toll of the conflict.

Watch For

The remaining exam sessions this week; release of results, which will determine university admissions and scholarship allocations. Any surge in Israeli strikes or ceasefire violations that could further disrupt the examination process and the already stalled reconstruction. Statements from the Palestinian Authority and international donors on educational support for Gaza’s students.