War has pushed Gaza’s children to the brink – “like the living dead”

The authors say urgent international support for education is needed across Palestine, regardless of whether the current ceasefire in Gaza continues. In Gaza, the report finds that prolonged conflict has brought children's access to education close to total collapse, threatening not only learning but a core part of their identity.

A Childhood Shattered by Conflict and Hunger

Following a similar study released in 2024, the report offers an in depth examination of how war has transformed children's lives in Gaza. It documents a school system that has largely fallen apart and describes how violence, food shortages, and psychological trauma have stripped away any sense of a normal childhood.

Researchers recount children fainting from exhaustion and being advised not to play so they can save energy. Before the recent ceasefire, many parents and teachers were forced to weigh children's survival against their education. Some families were surviving on little more than a bowl of lentils a day.

Growing Anger and Loss of Faith

One of the report's most concerning findings is the damage to young people's sense of hope and trust in the global community. Witnesses told researchers that children are becoming increasingly angry and are losing faith in principles such as peace and human rights. "Students are asking about the reality of those rights. They feel they are killed just for being Gazans," one international organization staff member said.

Professor Pauline Rose, Director of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge, said the situation has rapidly worsened. "A year ago we said education was under attack - now children's lives are on the brink of a complete breakdown."

She added that Palestinians have continued to value education despite the war, but warned that the despair expressed by young people should be taken seriously. "We must do more to support them. We cannot wait."

A Lost Generation at Risk

The research was carried out by teams from the REAL Centre and the Centre for Lebanese Studies, in partnership with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). It combines data from UN agencies, charities, and NGOs with interviews involving aid workers, officials, teachers, and students.

The study cautions that Gaza faces a serious risk of a "lost" generation due to the combined educational, physical, and psychological toll of the war.

As of October 1, 2025, the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 18,069 students and 780 education staff had been killed in Gaza, while 26,391 students and 3,211 teachers were injured. Save the Children estimates that during the fighting, 15 children sustained life altering injuries every day.

Teachers interviewed for the report described deep despair among families. Some parents asked, "Why should I care about education for my kids if I know they will die from famine?" Focus group discussions found children were "afraid of everything," and another report cited in the study said many Gazan children felt "like the living dead."

Years of Learning Already Lost

The authors estimate that repeated school closures since 2020 have cost children in Gaza the equivalent of five years of education, first due to COVID-19 and later because of war. While UNRWA and the Palestinian Ministry of Education introduced temporary and distance learning programs, these efforts have been limited by ongoing violence, damaged facilities, and severe shortages of resources.

To calculate learning losses, researchers accounted for the combined effects of trauma and starvation, drawing on established studies showing how both undermine learning. By October 2025, nearly 13,000 children in Gaza had been treated for acute malnutrition, and 147 of them had died.

If schools remain closed until September 2027, the study estimates that many teenagers could fall as much as ten years behind expected educational levels.

West Bank and East Jerusalem Also Struggling

The situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was also described as severe. Since October 2023, 891 students and 28 teachers have been killed or injured by settlers or Israeli forces, and hundreds more have been arrested, often on grounds the UN Human Rights Office considers "arbitrary." Schools in these areas have faced repeated disruptions, with some temporarily or permanently shut down. Children there are estimated to have lost at least 2.5 years of schooling.

Across Palestine, teachers described their profession as deeply demoralized and in crisis. One international organization staff member said educators were "working day and night" to provide any form of learning, with many not taking a single day off in two years.

The Price of Rebuilding Education

The study estimates that restoring education across Palestine could cost about US$1.38 billion. Yusuf Sayed, Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge, said teachers and counselors continue to show sumood (steadfastness) and dedication to preserving Palestinian identity through education, but stressed that the scale of need is enormous. Thousands of new teachers will be required to replace those lost and to support a full recovery. He emphasized that investment in teachers is essential to rebuilding education in Palestine.

With Gaza's economy nearly paralyzed, education is expected to rely on foreign aid for the foreseeable future. Despite this dependence, the report points to growing "donor fatigue." Of the US$230.3 million requested by OCHA for education in 2025, only 5.7% had been received by July, amounting to roughly US$9 per child. Full reconstruction is estimated to require about US$1,155 per person.

Dr. Maha Shuayb, Director of the Centre for Lebanese Studies, said, "Education and children's services cannot be an afterthought. They are a vital source of stability and care."

Signs of Hope Amid the Crisis

Despite its grim findings, the report highlights some reasons for cautious optimism. During the ceasefire at the start of 2025, schools reopened quickly, and Tawjihi exams for high school graduates resumed. One teacher described the return to classrooms and exams as "a miracle."