GAZA, (PIC)
Summer in the Gaza Strip no longer resembles what it was in previous years, as there are no trips, no parks, and no schools to welcome children after a long academic year.
Between the sounds of bombardment and the effects of repeated displacement, thousands of families found a haven in Quran memorization centers that protects their children from wasting their time and gives them some of the reassurance that the war robbed them of.
An educational haven amidst loss
In one of the memorization centers west of Deir al-Balah city, dozens of children sit in facing circles, reciting verses in one voice, while the memorizers follow them calmly. Here, children do not only learn memorization and Tajweed, but they also restore part of their normal life that they lost since the outbreak of the genocidal war.
Umm Ahmad al-Najjar (43 years old) said that her children did not find a place to spend their time after the suspension of studies, so she rushed to register them in the Quran circles.
She added, “They started waking up early with all enthusiasm, reviewing what they memorized inside the house, and I felt a clear change in their behavior and calmness after long months of tension and fear.”
Women also find their share
The circles were not limited to children, as the memorization centers allocated programs to teach women the rules of recitation and Tajweed.
Suad Abu Khater (47 years old) explained that she joined Tajweed lessons accompanied by her daughter, considering that these lessons became a spiritual outlet in light of daily pressures.
She said, “After every session, I feel great comfort, as if I am moving away a little from the news of the war and its pains.”
Increasing turnout despite the circumstances
Despite the continuous displacement, weak capabilities, and the lack of basic supplies in many centers, the turnout for memorization circles is increasing with the beginning of the summer vacation.
The supervisor of one of the centers, Sheikh Ahmad Safi, confirmed that the numbers of enrollees rose significantly this summer, explaining that families are looking for a safe place to embrace their children and occupy their time with what benefits them.
He added, “The circles are no longer a place for memorization only, but have become a space for psychological and educational support, where children feel safe and belonging amid exceptional circumstances.”
A small space for life
In a Strip deprived by the genocidal war of schools, playgrounds, and activities, the Quran circles turned into a space where children, women, and the elderly gather, holding on to the Book of God and restoring some of the stability they lost.
Despite the harshness of the scene in Gaza, the residents continue to send their children every morning to those circles, out of their belief that building a human being begins with the word, and that hope can be born even in the most painful places. من داخل الخيام يبنى الإنسان .. حلقات تحفيظ القرآن الكريم تعود بقوة إلى غزة بعد سنوات من الحرب الدامية pic.twitter.com/o7aevOmY82 — #سعوديون_مع_الاقصى (@Saudis201 February 1, 2026