Gaza's Youth Express Gratitude to Pro-Palestinian Advocates on American Campuses
Witness heartwarming scenes from Shaboura refugee camp as children display banners thanking supporters at Columbia University and beyond for their solidarity and support.
Dozens of Palestinian students and children gathered in southern Gaza on Sunday to show their appreciation for the support they have received from US college campuses.
A video from the Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah captured the children holding banners with messages like, “Students of Columbia University, please keep supporting us” and “It is a war crime to deny us our right to education and life.”
Students from northern Gaza gathered around makeshift tents near a school, which now serves as their shelter. People were seen spray-painting messages of gratitude on the tents, with one message saying, "Thank you, students in solidarity with Gaza. Your message has reached us."
Takfeer Abu-Yousuf, a displaced student from Beit Hanoun in Northern Gaza, expressed his gratitude towards the students in the US who showed support through their humanity. He mentioned feeling the need to thank them for their solidarity.
He mentioned that the thank you messages are displayed on our tents, which unfortunately do not provide protection from the extreme weather conditions. Despite the limitations, it is important to express gratitude. We are unable to write these messages on the walls of our homes as we do not have homes anymore. Tragically, our homes have been destroyed, leaving our children, elders, and women vulnerable.
A man in Rafah, Gaza, writes a message of thanks to student protesters in the US on April 27, 2024.
A man in Rafah, Gaza, writes a message of thanks to student protesters in the US on April 27, 2024.
AFP/Getty Images
Eighteen-year-old Rana Al-Taher showed CNN the school in the camp, expressing that instead of a place for learning, it has turned into a shelter.
She explained, "This means we've lost our chance for education. Our only hope in Gaza is gone, and we want it back. We're here to demand it back because it's our right. That's why we're here."
According to the UN, over 200 schools in Gaza have been directly hit during Israel's bombardment. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported that there has been no education happening in Gaza for almost six months.
UN experts in a recent report expressed concern over the systematic destruction of Gaza's education system.
Getty Images
Related live-story
Pro-Palestinian protests continue at colleges across the US
The experts expressed concern about the ongoing attacks on educational infrastructure in Gaza, emphasizing the harmful effects on the rights of people to learn and freely express themselves. This situation is depriving another generation of Palestinians of their future.
Bayan Al-Fiqhi, a first-year university student, shared with CNN that she has been unable to attend her classes at her university in Cairo since the start of the war in Gaza. She expressed gratitude towards students in the US for showing their support through a solidarity protest.
"We hope that they will exert pressure on Israel and the US to halt the violence in the Gaza Strip and prevent the invasion of Rafah," she expressed.
The fate of Rafah has been a concern for the 1.3 million Palestinians who have been forced to flee there. Speculation has been ongoing for weeks about when Israel will launch its expected military operation in the city. The UN has issued repeated warnings against an Israeli ground invasion, cautioning that such an offensive "could result in mass casualties" in the southern region.
Palestinians at a demonstration in Rafah, Gaza, on April 28, 2024.
Palestinians at a demonstration in Rafah, Gaza, on April 28, 2024.
Tareq Alhelou/CNN
Twenty-one-year-old Nowar Diab told CNN she lamented the impact Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has had on her academic pursuits.
"I was supposed to graduate this year. I was studying English and French literature at Al-Azhar University, but unfortunately, the university got bombarded. This war became a barrier between me and my dreams of starting my career," she shared.
"Today, I am here to share with the world that us, students from Gaza, experience pain and suffering every day," she continued.
Diab said despite the brutality of Israel’s war, the resilience and determination of Gazan students to persevere was clear for the world to see.
Editor's P/S:
The article poignantly captures the plight of Palestinian students whose education has been disrupted by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The heartfelt messages of gratitude expressed by these children and young adults towards American college students who have shown solidarity with their cause are a testament to the power of human compassion and the importance of international support.
It is deeply concerning to learn that over 200 schools in Gaza have been directly hit during the Israeli bombardment, depriving an entire generation of Palestinians of their right to education. The systematic destruction of Gaza's education system is a grave violation of human rights and a barrier to the future prosperity of the region. The international community must exert pressure on Israel to halt its military operations and allow for the resumption of education in Gaza. The resilience and determination of Gazan students to persevere despite the adversity they face is truly inspiring, and their voices deserve to be heard and amplified.
