   
Fact Sheet: Gaza
Right to Education Campaign, Birzeit University, 25 June 2007
Educational conditions in Gaza
1. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights describes the daily conditions in Gaza as 'security chaos'.
2. According to a research study by Queen's University, Belfast, 98% of children in Gaza suffer from psychological trauma. The study, published in Aug 2006, claims there is a pattern of violence against Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip that has serious and debilitating psychiatric and psychological effects.
3. Despite the removal of settlements in 2005, Israel controls the borders and people register of Gaza.
4. In 2006, the Israeli High Court decided against 10 Gaza students who wanted to study Occupational Therapy in Bethlehem University. The course provides expertise in rehabilitation and habilitation of the physically and mentally impaired, and is not available at Gazan universities. Meanwhile, there are at least 24,000 registered disabled in Gaza.
When asked to justify the ban, the Israeli state responded that the students belong to "a dangerous age group".
5. Gaza is home to over 1m people, 400,000 of whom are aged between 18-30. Its three standardized universities are able to accommodate just 70,000 students, most of whom are women.
There is also an Open University in Gaza which caters for about 15-20,000 students. However, this still leaves over 75% of university-age Gazans without access to higher education.
6. On 4 July 2006, an Israeli helicopter fired a rocket at the Islamic University campus in Gaza, destroying an entire building.
Situation for Gazans at Birzeit UNiversity
1. In 2000, there were around 350 students from Gaza in Birzeit University. In 2005 there were 35 (the numbers dropped 10 times in 5 yrs).
2. Israeli law requires Gazans to have a special permit to study in the West Bank and since 2000, the Israeli army has obstructed the issuing of such permits. By 2002, no new permits were issued.
3. Most Gazans who came to Birzeit/Ramallah area to study are now trapped there. They live in constant fear and cannot move freely in their own country.
4. Between 2001-2003, there was Surda checkpoint cutting-off Birzeit from Ramallah, Gaza students were stuck in Birzeit.
5. Now there are flying checkpoints, especially at Surda during exam times, so Gaza students still live in fear of traveling outside Birzeit.
6. In 2004, Israeli soldiers arrested 4 Gazans who studied at Birzeit University and deported them to Gaza. They were in the last semester of their degrees.
7. None of the students deported to Gaza were accused of any acts against Israel.
8. Birzeit University now has less than 15 students from Gaza, all of whom are returning students who were already residing 'illegally' in the West Bank.
9. Since 2004, there has been ZERO intake of new students from Gaza.
Urgent Appeals: Defend Omar's right to education and liberty ( 7 July 2008)
Urgent Appeals: Release prisoners of conscience now! ( 1 July 2008)
Studies & Research: R2E Fact Sheet ( 2 June 2008)
Our Stories: Gazan recipient of a Fulbright scholarship writes Op-Ed (15 August 2008)
Urgent Appeals: Give students in Gaza a chance to study! (11 August 2008)
Studies & Research: Right to Education Campaign's Submission to the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review ( 4 August 2008)
In The Media: At-Tuwani Children's March to Tuba A Success ( 3 August 2008)
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