Gaza’s disabled children face school closures, families say
Families and educators describe limited teaching for children with hearing and visual impairments, and call for safe classrooms and essential supplies.
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Families and educators describe limited teaching for children with hearing and visual impairments, and call for safe classrooms and essential supplies.
Children with hearing and visual impairments in Gaza have limited access to specialist schooling, while shortages of hearing-aid parts, glasses and learning materials make studying harder, families and educators told Al Jazeera in its October 25, 2026 report.
Before the war began in October 2023, specialist institutions offered teaching, contact with other children and, in some cases, dedicated school transport. Damaged buildings and school closures have disrupted those services. The October 2025 ceasefire reduced Israeli attacks but did not stop them.
The Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children’s Gaza City building was partially destroyed and became an overcrowded shelter for displaced people. Atfaluna has opened temporary learning spaces, including one attended by 13-year-old Kenan al-Sabaa near his family’s current home.
His father, Tamer al-Sabaa, said Kenan missed the entire first year of schooling during the war. His classes now run three days a week for no more than two hours a day. Tamer said those hours cannot make up for the learning his son has lost, and fears renewed large-scale attacks would force him to stop Kenan attending.
Kenan’s hearing aid also needs replacement tubing, a rubber ear mould and batteries that are unavailable because of Israel’s blockade. Fadel Kuraz, an Atfaluna sign-language interpreter and disability-rights advocate, described wider shortages of hearing aids and spare parts, as well as obstacles to specialist hearing tests and treatment. He said electricity and communications outages also restrict access to visual learning materials.
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Israel’s blockade also makes Braille materials difficult to obtain. Braille uses raised dots that people read by touch. Basheer fears that, without regular teaching, students could lose Braille and independent-learning skills acquired over years.
For 12-year-old Jana Shreim, who is legally blind, the loss of school access has coincided with the loss of usable glasses. Her mother, Wafaa Shreim, said Jana’s strong prescription glasses broke as the family fled the Shati camp during Israel’s November 2023 offensive. The lenses could not be repaired, replacements were unaffordable, and the blockade prevented replacement.
Wafaa said Jana now stumbles in unfamiliar places and relies on her mother and sister to guide her. With Jana’s school closed, Wafaa tries to teach her at home using a Braille writing machine so she retains her skills.
Wafaa called for glasses, medical supplies and safe educational spaces. Kuraz called for hearing aids, batteries and spare parts to be allowed into Gaza, alongside safe temporary classrooms to replace destroyed centres.
Gaza Municipality has begun emergency cleaning and maintenance despite limited resources. In its October 5 assessment, the Norwegian Refugee Council said available and expected supplies could provide partial help to about 52,000 families across Gaza.
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