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Gaza Teen Triumphs Despite War, Loss and Displacement
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Good News

Gaza Teen Triumphs Despite War, Loss and Displacement

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Saba Rabah, an 18-year-old from Gaza, achieved the highest score in the science stream of the Palestinian national high school exams despite facing immense personal loss and displacement due to the ongoing war.
  • Her success comes amidst widespread destruction of educational facilities in Gaza, with many schools damaged or destroyed and others repurposed as shelters for displaced families.
  • Rabah dedicated her achievement to her late father, a teacher killed in an Israeli airstrike, and her family, finding celebration despite the pervasive fear and loss.

Saba Rabah, an 18-year-old from central Gaza, has emerged as the top-ranked student in the science stream of the Palestinian national high school exams, known as Tawjihi. This remarkable achievement occurred just days after her family fled their temporary home due to a bombing, marking the latest ordeal in a war that has claimed her father's life, destroyed their home, and forced repeated displacement.

I achieved a score of 99.9 percent, ranking first in the nation in the science stream.

— Saba RabahDescribing her academic achievement in the national high school exams.

Rabah secured a score of 99.9 percent, ranking first in the nation in her stream. The Tawjihi examinations, the first held in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, took place simultaneously in Gaza, the West Bank, Egypt, and other countries with Palestinian communities. This event was particularly significant given that most of Gaza's educational buildings have been damaged or destroyed, with many functioning schools converted into overcrowded shelters.

My father was a teacher at UNRWA schools.

— Saba RabahReferring to her father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

She dedicated her success to her father, Fayed Rabah, a teacher at UNRWA schools who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in June 2024. The family had already been displaced twice, and their home was demolished in January 2024. Rabah recounted the constant fear and displacement, stating, "We were displaced so many times that I can no longer remember the exact number. There was so much displacement and fear... our house was destroyed. I lost half of my books, but I never gave up on my goals."

We were displaced so many times that I can no longer remember the exact number. There was so much displacement and fear... our house was destroyed. I lost half of my books, but I never gave up on my goals.

— Saba RabahRecounting the hardships faced due to the war and displacement.

Despite the challenges, including power cuts and internet outages, Rabah persevered. The danger remained close, with their house being bombed just days before her exams. The celebration following the results announcement, held in Al-Maghazi refugee camp, was a poignant mix of joy and remembrance, with relatives and neighbors gathering under a portrait of her late father.

We lost our home a few days before the exams because the house across from us was bombed.

— Saba RabahHighlighting the proximity of danger even during the examination period.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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