Palestinian teacher Hadeel Zourob established the only Palestinian school in North Sinai after fleeing Gaza. The free centre in El-Arish has grown from about 150 pupils to nearly 400 children aged 6–18, with help from the Misr El Kheir Foundation. It combines the Palestinian curriculum with psychosocial support for children displaced or injured by the war, while highlighting wider barriers to education for refugees in Egypt.
From Rented Room to Refuge: Gazan Teacher Builds North Sinai School for 400 Displaced Children
Many Palestinian children displaced to Egypt struggle to find education (Amr AHMED)
In El-Arish, a coastal city about 44 kilometres from the Gaza border, Palestinian teacher Hadeel Zourob has turned a rented classroom into the only Palestinian school in Egypt's North Sinai — a free educational centre serving nearly 400 children displaced by the Israel-Hamas war.
A School Grows in El-Arish
Zourob, in her thirties and herself displaced from Gaza, began teaching a small group of children alongside other displaced Palestinian educators. Within a year the initiative expanded from roughly 150 pupils to almost 400 students aged six to 18. Rent and supplies were later supported by the Misr El Kheir Foundation, one of Egypt's largest charities.
Learning, Culture and Recovery
The centre follows the Palestinian curriculum, with many textbooks brought from Gaza. Children gather in the courtyard wearing keffiyehs and embroidered dresses, recite a short assembly and then move into classrooms where teachers hand out pens and lessons. Some students are recovering from war injuries; others are living in temporary housing provided by Egyptian authorities.
We hope they can achieve their dreams despite the difficult and tragic conditions we are living through outside Gaza, a parent said as she waited to collect her child.
Addressing Psychological Needs
Beyond academics, the school focuses on psychosocial support and a sense of normalcy. Teachers say recreating a familiar school atmosphere helps children regain routine and confidence, making any eventual return to Gaza less disruptive to their education and wellbeing.
Wider Challenges Facing Displaced Children
UNICEF estimates that more than 14,000 Palestinian school-age children have been displaced to Egypt since the war began. Many families face obstacles to online or public schooling in Egypt because of the cost of devices and internet, rising living expenses and legal or administrative barriers. Meanwhile, UN agencies report that around 98 percent of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, and roughly 658,000 school-age children there have had limited access to regular classroom learning for more than two academic years.
Zourob’s initiative is a grassroots response to those challenges: a practical place to learn, recover and keep a sense of community for displaced Palestinian children in North Sinai.
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