Dubai Cares school opens in Gaza

A temporary school donated by the Dubai Cares charity opened to children in the Gaza Strip yesterday. The school was set up in the Jabalia refugee camp, where a number of schools were destroyed during Israel's three-week-long assault on Gaza in December and January, the charity said. "Today Gaza's children are resuming their educational development in the protective environment of classrooms, which will empower them to overcome the trauma they suffered during the war," said Reem al Hashimy, the chairwoman of the Dubai Cares board of directors.

A second shipment of aid from Dubai Cares, including more modular schools, also arrived yesterday. The two shipments, which included hygiene and school kits, were delivered in a convoy of 14 lorries. The 800-square-metre schools house 11 classrooms, two bathrooms with hand basins and an administration room and can accommodate up to 460 people. The first shipment arrived on Feb 27 after being held at the Egyptian border for nearly 18 days.

mchung@thenational.ae