Emotional tributes have poured in for a much-loved school principal who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, southern Lebanon , alongside her mother and two others.
Esperanza Ghandour, principal of Youssef Shamoun Official School in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, was killed on Monday while travelling back from inspecting her family home following months of displacement caused by Israel's military campaign in southern Lebanon.
Colleagues, former students, friends and politicians have remembered her as a devoted educator who transformed her school and left a lasting impact on the local community. The New Arab takes a closer look at her life and the circumstances surrounding her death. Who was Esperanza Ghandour? Ghandour was a well-known figure in Lebanon's education sector, widely credited with revitalising Youssef Shamoun Official School after becoming its principal five years ago.
When she took over, the school had a dwindling student population and poor academic standing. Through teacher training initiatives and educational reforms, she helped restore its reputation and attract more students.
She was also the wife of Wissam Qanso, a member of the Supreme Council of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP).
Tributes described her as a dedicated educator whose commitment to teaching and supporting students had made her a respected figure across Nabatieh.
Many said her death was a devastating loss not only to her family but also to education in southern Lebanon.
Esperanza Ghandour was the principal of the Youssef Salman Chamoun Public School in Nabatieh El Fawqa.
She was killed in an Israeli strike while returning home with her mother and their domestic worker, after months of displacement.
This war cannot continue. Israel must… pic.twitter.com/X8texRe5A4 — Michel Helou | ميشال حلو (@michelhelou_lb) July 7, 2026 How was she killed? Ghandour was travelling in her Jeep Cherokee along the Nabatieh al-Fawqa road, where many displaced residents have been returning to inspect their homes during periods of relative calm despite ongoing Israeli attacks.
She was accompanied by her mother, a Syrian national identified as Jamal Ali Salem, and a migrant domestic worker when their vehicle was struck.
Emergency crews from the Lebanese Red Cross, Civil Defence, the Islamic Scout Association and the Islamic Health Authority rushed to the scene before transporting the victims to hospitals in Nabatieh.
Local media reported that shortly before her death, Ghandour had sent a voice message to a colleague in which she spoke of the importance of remaining patient and faithful despite the suffering and darkness surrounding the country.
She also expressed her sadness at being unable to return to Nabatieh for many months because of Israel's military offensive in a voice message that has been shared widely on social media.
Esperanza Ghandour was the principal of the Youssef Salman Chamoun Public School in Nabatieh El Fawqa.
She was killed in an Israeli strike while returning home with her mother and their domestic worker, after months of displacement.
This war cannot continue. Israel must… pic.twitter.com/X8texRe5A4 — Michel Helou | ميشال حلو (@michelhelou_lb) July 7, 2026 How have people responded? Lebanese politicians, educators and political parties condemned Ghandour's killing, describing it as another civilian death in Israel's ongoing military aggression in southern Lebanon.
Ihab Hamadeh, a member of parliament's Education Committee, said Israel was committing "a horrific crime" against civilians.
"The Zionist entity committed a horrific crime today against civilians, adding to its record of massacres... A family was killed in cold blood in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, with principal Esperanza Ghandour among the victims," he said.
Hamadeh added that the continued killing of civilians violated both the ceasefire agreement and Lebanon's sovereignty.
The Amal Movement's Education Bureau described Ghandour as "a pillar of education and dedication", saying she had devoted her life to raising generations "armed with knowledge and values".
The Syrian Social Nationalist Party also paid tribute, saying her death demonstrated Israel's continued disregard for international law and the lives of civilians.
The Association of Public School Teachers in Lebanon described Ghandour as "a symbol of dedication and devotion" who led with "wisdom and love", while the Association of Secondary School Teachers also condemned her killing.
Vera Yammine, a member of the Marada Movement's political bureau, wrote: "You raised generations to love the homeland, the whole homeland."
Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 8,246 people since October 2023, including over 4,300 since the conflict escalated on 2 March 2026.