At the Blind Center in Jenin, located in the northern West Bank, 42-year-old Mohammed Abdul Wahab prepares food in a shared kitchen with nearly 85 others, all of whom, like him, have been displaced from their homes following the intensification of Israeli military operations in cities across the occupied West Bank.
The father of four was forced to evict their home in Jenin Camp on the third day of the violence and has been living at the centre with his wife and children since, the eldest of whom is 10.
Yet, as he prepares food in the communal kitchen which they share with 85 other people, it is not the immediate hardships that worry him most. What concerns him deeply is that his children have been out of school for over three months.
"My children's future is effectively lost,” he told The New Arab. “They spend all their time here at the centre. There are no studies, activities, or family visits. They play here in this small garden, where there are a few games and swings."
For roughly two months, Israel’s ongoing military operations in the occupied West Bank, dubbed “Operation Iron Wall,” has led to widespread displacement and destruction, with over 40,000 Palestinians forced from their homes in cities like Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas.
Jenin remains the epicentre of the violence, with Israeli forces deploying tanks and bulldozers to destroy civilian infrastructure, while other cities in the West Bank have also seen increased military activity.
"With the closure of four UNRWA schools in the camp alone, approximately 1,640 students have been completely deprived of their education"
While the Israeli army claims that the operations are aimed at targeting extremist militant groups, it is the civilians who bear the brunt of the consequences. The impact on families is devastating, with many now living in temporary shelters.
Moreover, the most vulnerable of the displaced — children — are facing severe disruption in their education and daily lives.
While government-run schools across Jenin have been suspended since the onset of Israel’s military campaign in late January, children attending the UNRWA-run schools – and who make up the majority of students in the city – have been out of school since the end of November 2024, that is, since the security crisis between the Palestinian Authority’s security forces and the fighters inside the camp.
With many schools closed for nearly three months and no opportunities for proper learning or recreational activities, many children, like those of Mohammed Abdul Wahab, are left with their future prospects uncertain.
Displacement and disruption
In Jenin refugee camp approximately 3,200 families have been displaced from their homes due to the escalating violence. These families have been scattered across the city of Jenin, nearby towns, and refugee shelters.
Data from the Jenin Municipality indicates that around 4,000 displaced persons are now living in shelters, including the Blind Center and the Korea Jenin Youth Center. Additionally, the Burqin Municipality, situated west of Jenin, alone has received around 4,700 displaced persons, while others have sought refuge with relatives in other villages.
Since Operation Iron Wall began in late January, the Palestinian Ministry of Education suspended all in-person classes across public and private schools in Jenin.
However, in Jenin camp, where most students attend schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), classes have been suspended since December 2024, due to violent clashes inside the camp between the Palestinian Authority's security forces and Palestinian armed actors.
Roland Friedrich, director of West Bank affairs for the UN Palestinian refugee agency, highlighted the worsening educational crisis in Jenin camp in a statement issued at the start of the Palestinian Authority's security campaign in December 2024.
"Jenin camp is experiencing a vicious cycle of violence making it essentially uninhabitable,” he had said in a statement, noting that education has been the most affected sector.
With the closure of four UNRWA schools in the camp alone, approximately 1,640 students have been completely deprived of their education. In greater Jenin, the educational directorate reported that 15,000 students are now unable to attend school.
The disruption in education is felt deeply in personal stories, particularly those of high school students.
In the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, 10th-grade student Diaa Saba'neh was tragically killed by an Israeli drone strike in January. Thirteen-year-old Rimas Omar was also killed in February, shot in front of her home near Jenin camp. Both of these deaths highlight the vulnerability of children who are exposed to escalating violence while also being deprived of the opportunity to go to school.
Ali Shehata, a second-grade student from Araba, south of Jenin, is another casualty of the education system's collapse. His mother, who enrolled him in a private school hoping to ensure a more stable education amidst the disruptions of the public school system, now finds herself struggling to keep up with online learning.
"The occupation used to invade for two or three days at most, and then school would return to normal. Today, Ali is completing his 51st day without school,” she said.
Despite receiving daily video lessons from his school, Ali's mother stresses that online learning can never replace the in-person experience, especially for young children who need direct interaction with teachers and peers.
More than missed lessons
In some towns where residents from Jenin camp have fled, the Ministry of Education has allowed students to enrol in public schools to continue their education. However, the disruptions have been significant.
“The extent of educational loss has increased alarmingly across several schools in the northern West Bank due to Israeli aggression,” said Sadeq Al-Khudour, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Education, adding that in the current semester alone, students have lost weeks of schooling due to ongoing violations by the Israeli army.
"The repeated disruptions have created gaps in students' learning, with many missing substantial lessons they should have completed," Al-Khudour explained.
Today, around 90 schools in Tulkarm and Jenin have switched to electronic classes in response to the ongoing violence. The ministry has also begun holding extra lessons on Saturdays and launching targeted programs focusing on core subjects. These efforts, while attempting to maintain educational continuity, have not been without their own challenges.
“E-learning, under these conditions, is ineffective, but it is the only option available right now,” Al-Khudour said.
Educational loss is not limited to the classes students miss. The psychological impact on both students and teachers is undeniable, particularly for younger students, who face difficulties with online learning and have lost out on vital face-to-face interaction.
As Ali’s mother watches her son struggle with the ongoing disruptions, she stresses that the effects are not confined to academic struggles.
“The impact isn’t just academic. It’s emotional as well. Ali spends long hours at home, unable to see his friends or interact with them,” she said. “It’s not just the lessons he’s missing—it’s the social aspects of school that are so important for children.”
Fatma Ibrahim is an independent journalist in the West Bank interested in reporting on humanitarian issues in her community
This piece was published in collaboration with Egab
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