Gaza Siblings Achieve Outstanding Results in Tawjihi Exams Despite War and Displacement

International Desk | PNN

Even amid war, displacement and uncertainty, students in Gaza have refused to abandon their dreams of education. The remarkable success of three siblings from the Musa family in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, has become a symbol of resilience and determination.

Results published on July 24 showed that siblings Sama, Abdullah and Nada Musa successfully passed the Tawjihi secondary school examinations with outstanding scores.

Sama achieved 97.5 percent marks, Abdullah scored 94.6 percent and Nada achieved 94.4 percent.

Sama said the journey was extremely difficult due to the devastating effects of war, psychological pressure and constant uncertainty.

“Things were not easy for us. Many times, I felt that continuing was impossible. But the desire to do something good for my family helped me move forward,” she said.

Because Abdullah and Nada have physical disabilities, they were unable to attend regular coaching centres or private tutoring. Their family arranged for teachers to come to their home to continue their education.

Their mother, Hind Muhanna, said the family always supported their children in building confidence.

“We always tried to make them understand that they are capable like everyone else. Their confidence is the biggest reason behind their success,” she said.

Nada also credited her parents’ support as the main source of her achievement.

The ongoing conflict has severely damaged Gaza’s education system. Thousands of students have lost homes, schools have been destroyed, and many have studied in shelters or temporary tents.

According to Palestine’s Ministry of Education, around 89,000 students from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza participated in this year’s Tawjihi examinations. Among them, approximately 36,900 students were from Gaza.

However, many students were unable to continue education due to the war. The United Nations has reported that a large number of educational institutions in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed.

Despite these challenges, many teachers continued supporting students.

Mathematics teacher Hana Al-Sayed from Deir al-Balah said students needed emotional support along with academic guidance.

“They did not only need a teacher. They needed someone who would listen to them and stand beside them,” she said.

Many students prepared for examinations while carrying the pain of losing family members.

One such student, Tala Abu Sukkar from the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, scored 86 percent in the Tawjihi examination. However, many members of her family were absent during her moment of success.

She lost her father, brother, sister and other relatives during the war.

“I lost many beloved people. But their memories gave me strength. I wanted to achieve something that would make my family proud,” Tala said.

The achievements of Gaza’s students are not only stories of academic success. They represent courage, determination and the power of hope.

Amid destruction, grief and uncertainty, they have shown that the desire for education and a better future cannot easily be defeated.

For many students in Gaza, schools are now more than just places of learning — they have become symbols of survival, hope and rebuilding a future.