Gaza’s visually and hearing-impaired children miss school due to Israel war
Children in Gaza with auditory and visual challenges often have no access to specialist education.
Gaza City – With the help of his father, 13-year-old Kenan al-Sabaa attempts to adjust his hearing aid, which has malfunctioned. The plastic tubing and rubber ear mould on the device need fixing, but these parts and the depleted batteries are no longer available due to Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip.
Before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza started in October 2023, Kenan attended the Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, which provided specialist teaching and opportunities to communicate with other hearing-impaired children.
But Atfaluna’s building in Gaza City was partially levelled during the war and quickly turned into an overcrowded shelter for displaced people, an example of the widespread destruction of infrastructure in Gaza. This includes the educational institutions disabled children rely upon.
Hearing-impaired children in Gaza are more often than not living in overcrowded tents or shelters which lack privacy or a proper space to do homework and study.