Conflict in Gaza disrupts school year for thousands of children

Children in Gaza are bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict with Israel, as thousands have been deprived of classes during schools opening, which would be Monday.

After 11 months of hostilities, more than 600,000 students are being deprived of access to formal education for another year, according to the UN relief agency for Palestinians (UNRWA).

UNRWA reports that no official schooling is available in any of its 200 schools, with many serving as shelters for displaced Palestinians.

Instead of going to school, 12-year-old Iyad is selling juice at a street corner in Gaza City to help his family stay afloat amid the ongoing conflict. Iyad and his younger brother have taken to the streets - one selling juice, the other selling candy.

"I should have been in sixth grade, but I can't go to school anymore. We have to go out and sell things. I feel very sad because I miss school life. I have no homework or exams now. Every day, I hope to see my friends, but now I just sell things - selling drinks to help my father support the family. I often see attacks on the streets, and I'm very scared," said Iyad.

Throughout the Gaza Strip, there are countless children like Iyad. Karim is one of them, who was supposed to advance to a higher grade this September, but now spends his days dragging a large ice cooler through the streets, selling water. "Sitting in a classroom with teachers and classmates, learning together - that would be wonderful, much better than selling water. At least in school, we could study, play, and laugh together. We wouldn't be wasting time. We worked hard to get good grades, but since the outbreak of the conflict, we have been forced to sell things. That's the reality," said Karim.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the number of humanitarian missions and movements that Israeli authorities denied access in Gaza nearly doubled in August compared to July, with 105 missions and movements denied last month versus 53 the previous month.

Conflict in Gaza disrupts school year for thousands of children

Conflict in Gaza disrupts school year for thousands of children

A group of 30 young people from Taiwan, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, have recently attended a series of Confucian cultural events in east China's Shandong Province, contributing to strengthening communication between young people from the mainland and Taiwan, and helping promote cross-Strait relations.

On Monday, the 2025 Cross-Strait Confucius Cultural Spring Gathering opened in Qufu City of Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius. The youth delegation, along with Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, attended the launch ceremony.

On Tuesday morning, the delegation watched a Confucius memorial ceremony at the city's Temple of Confucius, where they offered floral baskets and recited classical texts to honor the ancient Chinese philosopher.

Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was ancient China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other East Asian countries.

Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius from Taiwan who also traveled with the youth delegation, expressed his hope that similar cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

"The youths from Taiwan and the mainland performed the rituals and played the ritual music together. This cultural resonance transcends language and is the most vivid explanation of our shared cultural root. I believe that by sustained cultural dialogue, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, while jointly safeguarding the common cultural root, will enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and inject more positive energy into cross-Strait peace and national rejuvenation," said Kung, also president of the Confucius Foundation.

During their stay in Shandong, the delegation also participated in other exchange activities in the cities of Tai'an, Qingdao, Zaozhuang, and Jinan.

Taiwan's youth delegation attends Confucian cultural events in mainland