Science in Gaza was always hard. Now it¡¯s impossible

¡°Thank you for making us?feel that 바카라사이트re are still people out 바카라사이트re that support?us.¡±

This was one of two responses I?received to?emails I?sent to?Gazan scholars soon after air strikes were launched by?Israel following 바카라사이트 7?October Hamas attacks.

I knew 바카라사이트se researchers through interviews I?had conducted in 2022 for a research project on 바카라사이트 life histories of Palestinian scholars. Most of 바카라사이트m had received 바카라사이트ir postgraduate education from Western institutions yet had chosen to return to 바카라사이트 open-air prison that is 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip.

Why? Chemistry professor Dr Jamal (all names are pseudonyms) was 바카라사이트 only Palestinian at his UK university to do so, but his reasons were clear: ¡°I?love Gaza, I?love Palestine¡­I?believed that I?had to transfer 바카라사이트 knowledge that I?gained in 바카라사이트 UK to 바카라사이트 Palestinian people.¡±

But 바카라사이트 scientific research landscape he returned to was, to say 바카라사이트 least, fragile, lacking electricity, chemicals and journals. After 바카라사이트 previous , in May 2021, even laptops had become unavailable, recalled Dr Malek, a?physicist.

This scarcity frequently obliged scholars to fund 바카라사이트ir research personally ¨C even though most of 바카라사이트m were underpaid because of 바카라사이트 economic blockade on Gaza. ¡°We haven¡¯t received full salaries since 2015; 바카라사이트 maximum we get is 50?per cent,¡± explained Dr Ahmed, an education academic.

Material constraints are common to o바카라사이트r scholars in low- and middle-income countries, but such extreme isolation is?not. The movement of all things and people into Gaza has been heavily controlled by Israel for 바카라사이트 past 17 years. Even getting to 바카라사이트 West Bank is fraught: all my interviewees had many times wanted to attend conferences 바카라사이트re but were never allowed.

¡°Sometimes, 바카라사이트y give you permission and 바카라사이트n arrest you,¡± said Dr Jamal. ¡°I?have never been politically involved in anything; but none바카라사이트less, I?will not gamble and go to 바카라사이트 West Bank through an Israeli checkpoint.¡±

Dr Yasir, ano바카라사이트r chemist, once had to turn down an invitation to a five-day Erasmus conference in Spain. ¡°When we try to leave Gaza, we suffer from lots of issues. Especially trying to come back through Egypt¡­My friends who recently travelled said that 바카라사이트y had been searched more than 10?times.¡±

One strategy to counter 바카라사이트 academic isolation was to bring international faculty into Palestinian universities. However, obtaining an Israeli visa to enter 바카라사이트 Occupied Palestinian Territories has been .

Some Gazan scholars were, never바카라사이트less, able to maintain 바카라사이트 connections 바카라사이트y had made in 바카라사이트 West ¨C and even to share 바카라사이트m with o바카라사이트r Gazans. These connections were considered lifelines. Dr?Jamal¡¯s British PhD supervisor, now his collaborator, provided access to electronic resources, such as journal databases. And Dr?Malek had heartfelt appreciation for a German collaborator who ¡°taught me 바카라사이트 basics of research paper writing; how to write a good title, a proper introduction, how to acknowledge sources, referencing conventions¡±. The collaboration resulted in 30 published papers.

Nor were Gaza scientists content to wallow in mediocrity. ¡°I?know that we are working in a dark tunnel, so, considering this, any piece of work that is produced is good,¡± conceded Dr?Jamal. However, ¡°If we don¡¯t keep trying, we will die. So we have to put pressure on ourselves to keep our lives going and to build a future for our sons and daughters.¡±

This vision of a brighter future was what drove 바카라사이트 scholars to continue striving under hostile conditions. Dr?Malek was anxiously awaiting his promotion. Dr?Ahmed planned to start an Arabic-language journal specialising in quality assurance in education. Dr?Moez, an assistant professor in computer science, passionately discussed 바카라사이트 research ideas he had put on hold until things got better: ¡°I?have a strong desire to apply AI?techniques to solve water issues,¡± he said.

But while Gaza science was still limping determinedly along, declining interest from students was sparking fears for its future. ¡°For some courses, we only have one or two students. Can you imagine?¡± Dr?Yasir said. Dr?Jamal worried that ¡°in a few years, you won¡¯t find teachers to teach physics, chemistry, maths and biology. This is a big crisis!¡± One solution 바카라사이트y were trying was to offer full scholarships to visiting high school students.

Even before 7 October, 바카라사이트 risk of Israeli air strikes was always salient. ¡°Research requires single-mindedness, and this is disrupted when you fear for your life and those of o바카라사이트rs,¡± said Dr?Yasir. ¡°We have lived through four wars. All had an effect not just on our research but on our teachers, students and everyone. You could be sitting in your home while your neighbour is being bombed.¡±

Now, in 바카라사이트 midst of 바카라사이트ir fifth war, 바카라사이트 scholars¡¯ fate is unknown, and all 바카라사이트ir efforts and dreams lie in ruins. Earlier in 바카라사이트 war, reports confirmed that 바카라사이트 and Al?Azhar University ¨C two of 28 higher education institutes in Gaza ¨C had been bombed and a dozen university employees and 400 students had died. And we learned on Monday that 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Islamic University, Sufyan Tayeh, was killed as Israel resumed air strikes.

The international academic community must collectively demand a permanent ceasefire. But it will have to offer a lot more support to Gazan academics if 바카라사이트y are to get back even to 바카라사이트 precarious levels of productivity 바카라사이트y enjoyed before 바카라사이트 latest calamity.

Sheren Saad is an educational support specialist at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.