Gaza’s 541,000 students return to makeshift classrooms amid supply shortages and curriculum debates
Approximately 541,000 students in Gaza resumed in-person schooling on September 19, 2026, for the first time in nearly three years. The reopening occurs amid severe infrastructure damage, with 98% of schools destroyed or damaged, forcing many classes into tents and temporary structures. While the return marks a significant humanitarian milestone, it is complicated by acute shortages of basic supplies, ongoing Israeli military control of over 60% of the territory, and unresolved questions regarding the ideological content of the curriculum.
