Many university students who lost relatives or whose homes were destroyed during the recent 23-day Israeli offensive in Gaza in December-January are finding it difficult to cope, according to university officials and students. Some have been unable to register for the new semester due to lack of funds; others are still traumatised. The Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights in Gaza says 14 of 15 higher education institutions in the Strip (in and around Gaza City) were damaged by Israeli forces. Six came under direct attack. The Israeli offensive — in retaliation for continuous Hamas rocket-fire from Gaza into Israel — began on December 27 and ended on January 18.
Three colleges — the Al-Da’wa College of Humanities in Rafah; Gaza College of Security Sciences in Gaza City; and the Agricultural College in Beit Hanoun (part of Al-Azhar University) — were destroyed, according to Al-Mezan communications officer Mahmoud Abu Rahma. Six university buildings were razed to the ground and 16 damaged. The total damage is estimated at $21.1 million (Rs.105 crore), according to the Palestinian National Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan for Gaza.
Moreover just after midnight on December 28, the Islamic University was targeted in six separate air strikes, according to eyewitnesses. Two main buildings on campus were completely destroyed, while nine others were damaged; water, electrical and internet systems were affected. “The two (main) buildings contained 74 science and engineering laboratories equipped with thousands of pieces of apparatus,” says Islamic University public relations officer Hussam Ayesh.
The university, which has an aggregate enrolment of 22,000 students, wants to rebuild and renovate but lacks building materials due to the Israeli blockade. Israel is very unlikely to allow import of replacement laboratory equipment, without which it will be difficult for classes to resume. “Only basic food commodities and essential humanitarian items are permitted to enter Gaza,” says a spokesperson for the Israeli Civil Liaison Administration, Major Peter Lerner. According to Lerner, the Islamic University was being used by Hamas to develop and store weapons, including Qassam rockets used to target Israeli civilians. Both the university and Hamas deny the allegations.
Al-Azhar, Gaza’s second largest university, generally seen as pro-Fatah (the political faction associated with Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank) was hit the same day. “Three thousand of the 20,000 registered students could not return this semester due to issues related to the war,” says public relations officer at Al-Azhar University, Sameh Hassanin, who also says there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of students unable to afford fees since the offensive ended. The Agricultural College in Beit Hanoun was completely destroyed, with the damage estimated at $4.3 million (Rs.21 crore), according to university officials.
(Excerpted and adapted from www.irinnews.org)