For the first time since the start of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, hundreds of students in the Gaza Strip sat their secondary school final exams on Tuesday, including at Al-Azhar institutes, marking a symbolic return to in-person education, Al-Qods reported.

Around 450 students from science and humanities tracks sat the exams under extremely difficult conditions, in a process coordinated between Gaza and Al-Azhar University in Egypt, which oversees the secure transmission and correction of exam papers.

Exceptional logistical arrangements were put in place, including the digital transfer of exam questions and the deployment of buses to transport displaced students, many of whom are living in overcrowded camps.

Palestinian education authorities stress that the resumption remains fragile, as school infrastructure has been extensively damaged and movement is still severely constrained by ongoing bombardments and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Despite the war and widespread destruction, students and teachers describe the exams as an act of resilience and a rare moment of hope for the future.

Source: Al-Qods