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Gaza Ice Cream Parlor Offers Hope and Funding for University Students

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Seven university students in Gaza are running an ice cream parlor called Flora to fund their education.
  • The business, located in Khan Younis, provides a way for them to continue their studies despite the destruction of higher education facilities.
  • Flora's founders, nicknamed "the nerds," balance demanding work shifts with their medical, dentistry, and software engineering courses, offering hope amidst the ongoing conflict.

In Khan Younis, southern Gaza, seven university students are defying the devastation of war by running an ice cream parlor named Flora. These students, pursuing degrees in medicine, dentistry, and software engineering, operate the shop on the coastal road as a means to finance their education, refusing to abandon their academic pursuits.

I had searched for work all over al-Mawasi, where I live with my family in displacement after our house and land were struck by Israeli air strikes. The jobs I found paid poorly and demanded 12-hour shifts, which were incompatible with the dedication and focus my studies required.

— Jihad al-SaqaDescribing his difficult job search before co-founding the ice cream parlor.

Nicknamed "the doctors" by some and "the nerds" by regular customers, the students wear the latter title with pride. Flora, located in al-Mawasi, offers a glimmer of hope and a path forward in an environment where Gaza's higher education system has been largely nonoperational since October 2023. The war has forced approximately 88,000 university students to suspend their studies, with campuses heavily damaged or destroyed.

Jihad al-Saqa, a second-year medical student, described the arduous search for work that would accommodate his studies. After his family was displaced by Israeli airstrikes, he found that available jobs offered poor pay and demanded long hours incompatible with his academic commitments. When approached about joining Flora, he accepted immediately.

Two months in, I’m happy and capable of balancing study and work, despite the physical and psychological exhaustion.

— Jihad al-SaqaReflecting on his experience balancing work at Flora with his medical studies.

Al-Saqa shared that two months into working at the parlor, he is managing to balance his studies and work, despite the physical and psychological exhaustion. Working approximately seven hours per evening shift, he maintains a smile while serving customers. The income from Flora covers his tuition fees and helps support his family, demonstrating resilience and determination in the face of immense challenges.

He stands on his feet for around seven hours per evening shift, serving customers with a non-negotiable smile, as he describes it. Hard work certainly, but it pays his tuition fees and helps support his family

— Jihad al-SaqaDetailing the demands of his job at the ice cream parlor.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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