She emphasizes that the children's future is in danger when schooling is affected. In Gaza, there has been no regular schooling since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October 2023.
About 650,000 children are affected in Gaza. There is an enormous need for temporary schools and support for the most vulnerable children. The sense of normality, a routine, the kind of protection that schooling provides for children – it has been torn away, says Rachel Cummings.
Many children go without shoes, people live in tents. It is a very difficult situation where both children and adults struggle to find food and survive.
Sewage on the streets
The Save the Children staff inside Gaza have also been forced to move several times during the war.
They have been displaced nine to ten times. Everyone working for the organization has lost family or relatives in the war. It is also difficult to provide staff with protection during the war, as no place in Gaza is considered safe. Especially in northern Gaza, the destruction is appalling.
These are desperate times. 90 percent of all schools and almost all infrastructure have been destroyed in Gaza. Here in Dayr al-Balah, the streets are filled with sewage, she says.
At the same time, the organization is trying to establish learning centers in tents to provide children with a basic education. She describes the need as enormous and says that the resources are not sufficient.
Living in constant anxiety
The uncertain access to supplies also leaves its mark.
Everyone in Gaza lives in constant anxiety about when the next delivery will arrive. It's not just about food, but also about when tents, clothes, and educational materials will arrive. It's unclear when or if things will arrive in Gaza, which makes the situation even more acute.
In just a few days, the price of a bag of flour has gone up dramatically when deliveries are suddenly cut off, she says.
Cummings is now putting her hopes on the ceasefire holding.
There is a great need to rebuild the infrastructure again and give people access to protection and basic social functions.
