Open Letter by Gaza Academics and
University Administrators
to the World
We call on our supporters to help us
resist the Israeli campaign of scholasticide and rebuild our
universities
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GAZA ACADEMICA AND ADMINISTRATORS -- 5/29/2024 -- We have come together as Palestinian academics and staff of Gaza
universities to affirm our existence, the existence of our colleagues
and our students, and the insistence on our future, in the face of
all current attempts to erase us.
The Israeli occupation forces have demolished our buildings but
our universities live on. We reaffirm our collective determination to
remain on our land and to resume teaching, study, and research in
Gaza, at our own Palestinian universities, at the earliest
opportunity.
We call upon our friends and colleagues around the world to resist
the ongoing campaign of scholasticide in occupied Palestine, to work
alongside us in rebuilding our demolished universities, and to refuse
all plans seeking to bypass, erase, or weaken the integrity of our
academic institutions. The future of our young people in Gaza depends
upon us, and our ability to remain on our land in order to continue
to serve the coming generations of our people.
We issue this call from beneath the bombs of the occupation forces
across occupied Gaza, in the refugee camps of Rafah, and from the
sites of temporary new exile in Egypt and other host countries. We
are disseminating it as the Israeli occupation continues to wage its
genocidal campaign against our people daily, in its attempt to
eliminate every aspect of our collective and individual life.
Our families, colleagues, and students are being assassinated,
while we have once again been rendered homeless, reliving the
experiences of our parents and grandparents during the massacres and
mass expulsions by Zionist armed forces in 1947 and 1948.
Our civic infrastructure – universities, schools, hospitals,
libraries, museums and cultural centres – built by generations of
our people, lies in ruins from this deliberate continuous Nakba. The
deliberate targeting of our educational infrastructure is a blatant
attempt to render Gaza uninhabitable and erode the intellectual and
cultural fabric of our society. However, we refuse to allow such acts
to extinguish the flame of knowledge and resilience that burns within
us.
Allies of the Israeli occupation in the United States and United
Kingdom are opening yet another scholasticide front through promoting
alleged reconstruction schemes that seek to eliminate the possibility
of independent Palestinian educational life in Gaza. We reject all
such schemes and urge our colleagues to refuse any complicity in
them. We also urge all universities and colleagues worldwide to
coordinate any academic aid efforts directly with our universities.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the national and
international institutions that have stood in solidarity with us,
providing support and assistance during these challenging times.
However, we stress the importance of coordinating these efforts to
effectively reopen Palestinian universities in Gaza.
We emphasise the urgent need to reoperate Gaza’s education
institutions, not merely to support current students, but to ensure
the long-term resilience and sustainability of our higher education
system. Education is not just a means of imparting knowledge; it is a
vital pillar of our existence and a beacon of hope for the
Palestinian people.
Accordingly, it is essential to formulate a long-term strategy for
rehabilitating the infrastructure and rebuilding the entire
facilities of the universities. However, such endeavours require
considerable time and substantial funding, posing a risk to the
ability of academic institutions to sustain operations, potentially
leading to the loss of staff, students, and the capacity to
reoperate.
Given the current circumstances, it is imperative to swiftly
transition to online teaching to mitigate the disruption caused by
the destruction of physical infrastructure. This transition
necessitates comprehensive support to cover operational costs,
including the salaries of academic staff.
Student fees, the main source of income for universities, have
collapsed since the start of the genocide. The lack of income has
left staff without salaries, pushing many of them to search for
external opportunities.
Beyond striking at the livelihoods of university faculty and
staff, this financial strain caused by the deliberate campaign of
scholasticide poses an existential threat to the future of the
universities themselves.
Thus, urgent measures must be taken to address the financial
crisis now faced by academic institutions, to ensure their very
survival. We call upon all concerned parties to immediately
coordinate their efforts in support of this critical objective.
The rebuilding of Gaza’s academic institutions is not just a
matter of education; it is a testament to our resilience,
determination, and unwavering commitment to securing a future for
generations to come.
The fate of higher education in Gaza belongs to the universities
in Gaza, their faculty, staff, and students and to the Palestinian
people as a whole. We appreciate the efforts of peoples and citizens
around the world to bring an end to this ongoing genocide.
We call upon our colleagues in the homeland and internationally to
support our steadfast attempts to defend and preserve our
universities for the sake of the future of our people, and our
ability to remain on our Palestinian land in Gaza. We built these
universities from tents. And from tents, with the support of our
friends, we will rebuild them once again.
Signatories:
Dr Kamalain Shaath, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Omar Milad, President of Al Azhar University Gaza, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Mohamed Reyad Zughbur, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Dr Nasser Abu Alatta, Dean of Students Affairs, Al Aqsa University
Dr Akram Mohammed Radwan, Dean of Admission, Registration, and
Student Affairs, University College of Applied Sciences – Gaza
Dr Atta Abu Hany, Dean of Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Prof Hamdi Shhadeh Zourb, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and
Administrative Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Ahmed Abu Shaban, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and
Veterinary Medicine, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ahmed A Najim, Dean of Admission and Registration, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Noha A Nijim, Dean of Economics and Administrative Science
Faculty, Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Hatem Ali Al-Aidi, Dean of Planning and Quality, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Ihab A Naser Dean of Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Eng Amani Al-Mqadama, Head of the International Relations, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Mohammed R AlBaba, Dean of Faculty of Dentistry, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Rami Wishah , Dean of the Faculty of Law, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Prof Basim Mohammad Ayesh, Head of MSc Programme Committee and
Professor of Molecular Genetics, Al Aqsa University
Prof Hassan Asour, Dean of Scientific Research, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Khaled Ismail Shahada Tabish, Head of Salaries Department, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Mazen Sabbah, Dean of Faculty of Sharia, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Dr Ashraf J Shaqalaih, Head of Laboratory Medicine Dept, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Mahmoud El Ajouz, Head of Food Analysis Center and Lecturer at
the Faculty of Agriculture, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Mazen AbuQamar, Head of Nursing Department, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Eng Abed Elnaser Mustafa Abu Assi, Head of Engineering Office, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ahmed Rezk Al-Wawi, Vice President of the Islamic University
Workers’ Union, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Shareef El Buhaisi, Head of Administration Office at the Faculty
of Applied Medical Sciences, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Saeb Hussein Al-Owaini, Director of Employees, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Mai Ramadan, Director of the Drug and Toxicology Analysis
Centre, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Mohammed S M Kuhail, Director of Libraries, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Eng Emad Ahmed Ismail Al-Nounou, Director, Technical Department,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Eng Ismail Abdul Rahman Abu Sukhaila, Director Engineering Office,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Osama R Shawwa, Director of Administrative Office in the
Department of Political Sciences, Al Azhar University Gaza
Adnan A S El-Ajrami, Director of Administrative Office at the
Faculty of Medicine, Al Azhar University Gaza
Hashem Mahmoud Kassab, Director of Public Relations and Media
Department, Al Azhar University Gaza
Mazen Hilles, Director of Administration of Diploma Programme, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Adel Mansour Suleiman Al-Louh , Services Manager, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Hammam Al-Nabahen, Director of IT Services, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Maher Haron Ereif, Audit Department Assistant Director, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Khalid Solayman Alsayed, Information Technology Administrator, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Dr Amani H Abujarad, Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics
Department of English, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ayman Shaheen, Assistant Professor in Political Sciences, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Prof Alaa Mustafa Al-Halees, Faculty of Information Technology,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Basil Hamed, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Dr Mohamed Elhindy, Assistant Professor in Veterinary Medicine, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Prof Bassam Ahmed Abu Zaher, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Fakhr Abo Awad, Faculty of Science – Department of
Chemistry, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Saher Al Waleed, Professor of Law, Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Kamal Ahmed Ghneim, Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Prof Khadir Tawfiq Khadir, Department of English Language –
Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Marwan Saleem El-Agha, Assistant Professor of Business
Administration, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Mona Jehad Wadi, Assistant Professor of microbiology, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Mohammed Faek Aziz, Deanship of Quality and Development,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Muhammed Abu Mattar, Associate Professor in Law, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Prof Abdul Fattah Nazmi Hassan Abdel Rabbo, Faculty of Science,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Saher Al Waleed, Professor of Law, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Sari El Sahhar, Assistant Professor in Plant Protection, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Dr Nidal Jamal Masoud Jarada, Law, University College of Applied
Sciences – Gaza
Dr Sherin H Aldani, Assistant Professor in Social Sciences, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Dr Wael Mousa, Assistant Professor in Food Technology, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Prof Mohamed I H Migdad, Faculty of Economics and Administrative
Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Alaa Mustafa Al-Halees, Faculty of Information Technology,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Usama Hashem Hamed Hegazy, Professor of Applied Mathematics,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Basil Hamed, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Prof Tawfik Musa Allouh, Professor of Arabic Literature, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Prof Bassam Ahmed Abu Zaher, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Zaki S Safi, Professor of Chemistry, Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Fakhr Abo Awad, Faculty of Science – Department of
Chemistry, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Kamal Ahmed Ghneim, Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Prof Khadir Tawfiq Khadir, Department of English Language –
Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Khaled Hussein Hamdan, Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Ata Hasan Ismail Darwish, Professor of Science Education and
Curriculum, Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Hazem Falah Sakeek, Professor of Physics, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Prof Mohammed Abdel Aati, Department of Electrical Engineering and
Intelligent Systems, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Nader Jawad Al-Nimra, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Prof Nasir Sobhy Abu Foul, Professor of Food Technology, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Rawand Sami Abu Nahla, Lecturer at Faculty of Dentistry, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Prof Hussein M. H. Alhendawi, Professor of Organic Chemistry, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Prof Ihab S. S. Zaqout, Professor in Computer Science, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Rushdy A S Wady, Faculty of Economics and Administrative
Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Abed El-Raziq A Salama, Assistant Professor in Food Technology,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ahmed Aabed, Admin Assistant in Administrative and Financial
Affairs Office, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ahmed Mesmeh, Faculty of Sharia and Law, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Dr Emad Khalil Abu Alkhair Masoud, Associate professor of
microbiology, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Alaa Issa Mohammed Saleh, Lecturer at the faculty of Dentistry,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Ali Al-Jariri, Continuing Education Department, Al Quds Open
University
Dr Arwa Eid Ashour, Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Hala Zakaria Alagha, Assistant Professor in Clinical Pharmacy,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Marwan Khazinda, Professor of Mathematics, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Prof Moamin Alhanjouri, Associate Professor in Statistics, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Prof Sameer Mostafa Abumdallala, Professor of Economics, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Dr Bilal Al-Dabbour, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Nabil Kamel Mohammed Dukhan, Faculty of Education –
Department of Psychology, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Jamal Mohamed Alshareef, Assistant Professor, Linguistics
Department of English, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Sadiq Ahmed Mohammed Abdel Aal, Faculty of Engineering,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Dr Khaled Abushab, Associate Professor in Applied Medical
Sciences, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Abed El-Raziq A Salama, Assistant Professor in Food Technology,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Emad Khalil Abu Alkhair Masoud, Associate Professor of
Microbiology, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Hala Zakaria Alagha, Assistant Professor in Clinical Pharmacy,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Jamal Mohamed Alshareef, Assistant Professor, Linguistics
Department of English, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Khaled Abushab, Associate Professor in Applied Medical
Sciences, Al Azhar University Gaza
Dr Suheir Ammar, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Dr Waseem Bahjat Mushtaha, Associate Professor in Dental Medicine,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Prof Ali Abu Zaid, Professor of Statistics, Al Azhar University
Gaza
Dr Zahir Mahmoud Khalil Nassar, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Abdul Hamid Mustafa Said Mortaja, Faculty of Arts, Department of
Arabic Language, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Abdul Rahman Salman Nasr Al-Daya, Associate Professor at the
Faculty of Sharia and Law, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ayman Salah Khalil Abumayla, Officer – Student Affairs
Department, Al Azhar University Gaza
Abdullah Ahmed Al-Sawarqa, Library, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Ashraf Ahmed Mohammed Abu Mughisib, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Abdul Fattah Abdel Rabbo, Deanship of Engineering and
Information Systems, University College of Applied Sciences – Gaza
Basheer Ismail Hamed Hammo, Faculty of Fundamentals of
Religion, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Bssam Fadel Nssar, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Eng Mohammed Awni Abushaban, Teaching Assistant IT Department, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Etemad Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al-Attar, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Fahd Ghassan Abdullah Al-Khatib, Engineering Office, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ibrahim K I Albozom, Administrative Officer Faculty of Arts, Al
Azhar University Gaza
Abdullah Ahmed Anaqlah, Faculty of Information Technology, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Abdelrahman Abu Saloom, Radiologist at the College of
Dentistry, Al Azhar University Gaza
Feryal Ali Mahmoud Farhat, Administrator, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Fifi Al-Zard, Campus Services, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Manar Y Abuamara, Secretary, Al Azhar University Gaza
Hani Rubhi Abdel Aal, Graduate Studies, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Ahmed Abdul Raouf Al-Mabhouh, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Adnan Al-Qazzaz, Faculty of Information Technology, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Sfadi Salim Abu Amra, Supporting Services Department, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Hassan Ahmed Hassan Al-Nabih, Department of English Language –
Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Hassan Nasr, Information Technology, University College of Applied
Sciences – Gaza
Hatem Barhoom, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Tamer Musallam, Lecturer in Business Diploma Programme, Al Azhar
University Gaza
Ahmed Adnan Mahmoud Mattar, Information Technology, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Jaber Mahmoud Al-Omsey, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Qadoura, Administrator, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Hussein Al-Jadaily, Faculty of Nursing, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Ibrahim Issa Ibrahim Seidem, Faculty of Fundamentals of Religion,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ezia Abu Zaida, Secretary, Al Azhar University Gaza
Khaled Mutlaq Issa, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Khalil Mohammed Said Hassan Abu Kuweik, Faculty of Economics and
Administrative Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ibraheem Almasharawi, Instructor at the Faculty of Agriculture and
Veterinary Medicine, Al Azhar University Gaza
Maher Jaber Mahmoud Shaqlieh, Information Technology Affairs,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Mousa Asraf, Department of English Language,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Mohammed Said Abu Safi, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Omar Ismail Al-Dahdouh, Faculty of Information
Technology, University College of Applied Sciences – Gaza
Ahmed Salman Ali Abu Amra, Faculty of Sharia and Law, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Saqer, Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ahmed Younes Abu Labda, Personnel Affairs, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Alaa Fathi Salim Abu Ajwa, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Mahmoud Said Mohammed Al- Damouni, Central Library, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Ghasasn Alswairki, Adminstration Officer at Faculty of Pharmacy,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Mahmoud Shukri Sarhan, Faculty of Education, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Mahmoud Youssef Mohammed Al- Shoubaki, Faculty of Fundamentals of
Religion, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Majdi Said Aqel, Faculty of Education, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Muahmmed Abu Aouda, Security Department, Al Azhar University Gaza
Majed Hania, Faculty of Science, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Majed Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Naami, Faculty of Literature, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mamoun Abdul Aziz Ahmed Salha, Information Technology, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Emad Ali Ahmed Abdel Rabbo, Administrator, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Imad Alwaheidi Lecturer in Livestock Production Al Azhar
University Gaza
Manar Mustafa Al-Maghari, Medical Department, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Bassam Mohammed Al- Kurd, Campus Services, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Marwa Rouhi Abu Jalaleh, Information Technology Department,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Yousif Altaban, Security Department, Al Azhar University Gaza
Hala Muti Mahmoud Abu Naqeera, Student Affairs, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Marwan Ismail Abdul Rahman Hamad, Faculty of Education, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammad Hussein Kraizem, Health Sciences, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed AlAshi, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Hassan Al-Sar, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Ibrahim Khidr Al-Gomasy, Faculty of Education, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Juma Al-Ghoul, Faculty of Sharia and Law, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Khalil Ayesh, Information Technology, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Faiz Ahmed Ali Hales, Computer Maintenance Department, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Mohammed Taha Mohammed Abu Qadama, Administrator, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Yousef Fahmy Krayem, Lab Technician at Faculty of Agriculture and
Veterinary Medicine, Al Azhar University Gaza
Nabhan Salem Abu Jamous, Department of Supplies and Purchases,
Head of Storage Section, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Nihad Mohammed Sheikh Khalil, Faculty of Arts – Department of
History, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Tamer Nazeer Nassar Madi, Faculty of Information Technology,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Rami Othman Mohammed Hassan Skik, Faculty of Information
Technology, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Salah Hassan Radwan, Information Technology, Islamic University of
Gaza (IUG)
Salem Abushawarib, Faculty of Economics and Administrative
Sciences, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Salem Jameel Bakir Al-Sazaji, Faculty of Information Technology,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Abed Alraouf S Almasharawi, Administrative Officer in the Library,
Al Azhar University Gaza
Samah Al-Samoni, Public Relations, Islamic University of Gaza
(IUG)
Wafa Farhan Ismail Ubaid, Faculty of Nursing, Islamic University
of Gaza (IUG)
Tawfiq Sufian Tawfiq Harzallah, Admission and Registration
Department, Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Walid Zuheir Aidi Abu Shaaban, Finance and Auditing Department,
Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Yasser Zaidan Salem Al-Nahal, Faculty of Science, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
Youssef Sobhi Abdel Nabi Al-Rantissi, Computer Technician, Islamic
University of Gaza (IUG)
