The Unbreaking: How Gaza’s Scholars Outlive Israel’s "Scholasticide"

 

The Blueprint of Erasure

When Israel reduced Gaza’s last university (Al-Israa) to rubble in January 2024, it finalized a colonial playbook: eliminate futures to eliminate resistance. The University of Chicago’s "Scholasticide in Gaza" project reveals 94 attacks on schools since October 2023—Samir Mansour Library (Oct 10), Diana Tamari Sabbagh Library (Nov 25), Islamic University’s mosque (Oct 11). Each strike, a calculated blow to Palestinian memory .  

The Human Archive  

Behind the 53,939 deaths lie silenced geniuses:  

- Al-Shaima Akram Saidam, Palestine’s top 2023 student, killed in Al Nuseirat camp.  

- Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, whose 9 children (ages 0-12) died in an airstrike as she saved patients.  

- 68 professors assassinated—their life’s work ash .  

Teaching Amid Genocide

“I explain grammar while students burn,” — Serene Nasrallah, English lecturer  

Gaza’s educators weaponize Wi-Fi:  

1. Ahmed Abu Shaban (Al-Azhar): Runs 4 semesters from tents with zero salaries.  

2. Mkhaimar Abusada: Teaches political science via WhatsApp audio notes from exile.  

3. Ohood Nassar: Spends 4 hours downloading 1 lecture, declaring: “My degree is my return ticket.”  

The Israel Defense Forces call this “military necessity.” Gaza calls it survival. As 5-year-old Ward—orphaned in the Fahmi al-Jarjawi inferno—whispers: “Dad is alive. Seraj is alive. I am alive. That’s all.”