That atmosphere has been replaced by the hardship of displacement.

Israel’s military campaign has reduced Gaza’s academic institutions to rubble, with many now repurposed as crowded shelters for displaced families. With campuses gone, in-person education has largely disappeared, forcing universities to shift to online learning. However, for students living in tents and struggling to secure food, water, electricity, and internet access, attending even an online lecture has become a privilege.

Amid this chaos, a glimmer of hope has emerged. In the densely populated area of al-Mawasi in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, a new academic initiative is taking shape. Scholars Without Borders has established what it calls “University City,” a makeshift academic space designed to bring students back into lecture halls.

Built from wood, metal sheets, and whatever materials could be sourced locally, the site stands as a modest reconstruction of what Gaza’s academic life once looked like. “Despite the hardships, our mission is to bring education closer to students in a better environment,” said Hamza Abu Daqqa, the organisation’s representative in Gaza.

“We designed this space to serve multiple academic institutions and as many students as possible,” he added. “There are six halls here, accommodating up to 600 students a day. It may look simple, but it creates a sense of normal academic life—something students have been deprived of.”

The space includes internet access powered by solar panels, improvised green areas, and even a small business incubator aimed at helping students develop their own prospects.

According to the organisation, University City operates on a rotating weekly schedule, with each day allocated to a different academic institution. This system allows multiple institutions to share the limited space, ensuring the widest possible access for students.

Given the constraints, universities prioritise courses that most require in-person instruction, such as practical and discussion-based classes. Gaza’s prominent institutions, including the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University, have begun using the site, alongside other colleges such as the Palestine College of Nursing.

However, behind this modest structure lies a far heavier reality.

Across Gaza, universities have been extensively damaged or destroyed since the war began in October 2023. In the south, all institutions have been rendered inoperable. A limited number of campuses in northern Gaza have been partially restored, but their capacity remains extremely restricted. (Aljazeera)