Hamas Indoctrinates Gaza's Youth into Jihadist Ideology, Investigation Reveals
Children are taught hatred and violence in schools and mosques, with textbooks promoting extremism and glorifying death.
An investigation has revealed that Hamas, since gaining control of Gaza in 2007, has systematically indoctrinated children into its jihadist ideology through its education system, fostering a "culture of death" that permeates society.
Evidence suggests that schools, mosques, and summer camps have been utilized to brainwash young minds with extremism, violence, and hatred towards Israelis. Some Gazans are speaking out at significant personal risk, warning of the diminishing space for independent education and the damaging impact on Palestinian society, with children bearing the brunt of this indoctrination.
A mother identified as Shireen described how her son, not yet ten years old, returned from a mosque with disturbing ideas about martyrdom and paradise, stating, "They teach them terrorism, killing and the path of death. There is extreme racism and they teach them how to kill and how to fight Jews." This led her to teach him at home to shield him from such influences.
Another case highlighted by Shireen involved a 15-year-old neighbor who, after receiving religious education at a mosque, was given a weapon and killed by an Israeli soldier while approaching the border. Amin Abed, who fled Gaza to the UAE after being beaten by Hamas, stated that the educational system was gradually adapted to Hamas's ideology. He noted that the "Al-Futuwwa" (youth) program, introduced in 2012/13, provided teenage boys with weekly military-style instruction, familiarizing them with weapons and promoting the message that "death is our highest aspiration in Gaza."
Hamza Howidy, who fled Gaza after being tortured for opposing Hamas, recounted his experience in a Hamas-run school founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. He described lessons filled with hostility towards Israel, the idea of "resistance," and singing songs like "Jihad is our path, death is our dream." Secular subjects were banned, and teachers were radicalized. Even after leaving that school, he found the curriculum at the Islamic University of Gaza similarly filled with hate-filled rhetoric.
Textbooks controlled by Hamas have been found to promote extreme anti-Semitism and violence. One Grade 8 Arabic textbook reportedly teaches grammar through passages describing suicide bombers and urges pupils not to forget the image of burned Jews. A Grade 5 Islamic Education textbook instructs pupils to emulate a historical figure who stabbed a Jewish man to death.
These findings were detailed in reports by the Israeli NGO IMPACT-se, which heavily criticized the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) for allegedly turning a blind eye to radicalization and anti-Semitism within the education system, despite receiving funding from Western countries. Following allegations of UNRWA employee involvement in the October 7 attacks, several countries, including the UK and the US, suspended funding. The UK's Labour government later ended the suspension, pledging £21 million to UNRWA.
Marcus Sheff, CEO of IMPACT-se, stated that "On October 7, 2023, graduates of this education system put into practice many of the messages they had encountered in the classroom and committed horrific acts." He emphasized the need for comprehensive reform of the Palestinian curriculum to prevent future violence.
Amidst this environment, some Gazans are making efforts to counter Hamas's influence. In eastern Rafah, an armed anti-Hamas Palestinian group established a school for displaced children, focusing on teaching equality, freedom, and coexistence. Educators and parents are attempting to provide alternative education, aiming to create a generation of learners rather than terrorists.
Experts suggest that Gaza must be opened to the world, with centers of ideological indoctrination dismantled and replaced with institutions promoting art, entertainment, music, and a curriculum free from extremist control. The Board of Peace, chaired by Donald Trump, is expected to play a role in Gaza's post-war transition, including efforts towards deradicalization and the development of new educational protocols promoting social peace.