Gaza Educator Reports Threats After Challenging Antisemitic Curriculum
A veteran UNRWA teacher in Gaza has come forward to report that she was threatened with physical violence after challenging colleagues for teaching children to hate Jews. The educator, who has worked for the UN agency for 15 years, stated that an administrator confronted her with scissors and warned that her tongue would be cut if she continued to argue against the indoctrination of students. She claims the school environment encourages hatred of Jews and glorifies Hamas, a practice she believes has intensified since the war began. The teacher, whose identity is withheld for safety, warns that this radicalization could lead to future attacks similar to October 7, 2023, and calls for an overhaul of Gaza’s curriculum and independent oversight of teachers.
Key points
- A 40-year-old UNRWA geography teacher in Gaza City reported being threatened by a school administrator after challenging coworkers for teaching students to hate Jews.
- The administrator allegedly confronted the teacher with scissors and stated, 'We will cut your tongue,' if she continued to argue against the indoctrination of young girls.
- The teacher claims some educators in Gaza openly encourage hatred of Jews and glorify Hamas’s struggle against Israel, a practice she believes has worsened since the war.
- The teacher, whose name is withheld for safety, warns that the current educational environment is cultivating a new generation of extremists and could lead to another attack like October 7, 2023.
- The teacher calls for an overhaul of Gaza’s schools, including changes to the curriculum and independent oversight of teachers, to prevent the radicalization of children.
Background
This incident occurs amid ongoing scrutiny of UNRWA, the UN agency providing education and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. Critics have long accused the agency of tolerating antisemitism and the glorification of terrorism in its schools, with scrutiny intensifying after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. A UN investigation found evidence that nine UNRWA employees may have participated in the attack, leading to their dismissal. A January 2026 report by the US Government Accountability Office also documented problems with Palestinian Authority textbooks used in UNRWA schools, including material inconsistent with UN principles of neutrality and nonviolence. UNRWA has maintained that it does not tolerate incitement or support for terrorism and has pointed to safeguards intended to preserve neutrality in its operations.
Why it matters
The teacher’s account highlights the risks faced by educators in Gaza who challenge extremist rhetoric in classrooms. Her warnings about the potential for future attacks underscore the importance of addressing radicalization in education and ensuring that schools do not become breeding grounds for violence. The incident also raises questions about the role of UNRWA in Gaza and the need for independent oversight of teachers and curriculum to prevent the indoctrination of children.
What to watch
The teacher has called for an overhaul of Gaza’s schools, including changes to the curriculum and independent oversight of teachers. It remains to be seen whether UNRWA or other international bodies will take action to address the concerns raised by the teacher and ensure that schools in Gaza do not become breeding grounds for extremism. The teacher’s decision to come forward may also prompt further scrutiny of UNRWA’s operations in Gaza and the role of the agency in the region.
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