Istanbul: Witnesses at the Gaza Tribunal's final session in Istanbul delivered powerful testimonies, detailing the systematic destruction of schools, universities, and intellectual infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave, calling the attacks more than collateral damage and warning of a lost generation.

According to Anadolu Agency, Palestinian mother Asmaa Albatash recounted the early effect on children's education, expressing concerns about the long-term impact. "They started bombing and targeting schools. Even if the war ended, it would be very difficult to return to schools," she remarked. Relief worker Nabeel Jumah highlighted the deliberate targeting of intellectual capacity, noting attacks on "the minds and Palestinian competencies."

Palestinian mathematician Sevjan Al-Shami provided insight into the destruction of Gaza's premier higher education institutions. She noted that the Islamic University, one of the first universities targeted by the occupation, faced complete devastation of its buildings, including its central library housing hundreds of thousands of books. Al-Shami also reported that academic staff, including the head of the university, were targeted and martyred.

Journalists testified to the personal toll of the attacks as well. Abdelrahman Al-Himdiat shared his loss of research and academic resources. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Haniyeh emphasized the generational consequences, expressing a desire for children to simply have basic literacy skills amidst the chaos. Fidaa Al-Madhoun, an academic and journalist, recounted the tragic story of a student named Fatima Ahmed who was martyred amidst the violence.

The testimony also included insights from Inas Hamdan, director of the media office at the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, who noted, "The schools that we used to use as schools have been turned into refugee camps." Palestinian Sundus Zaqout emphasized the critical role of education for Gaza's survival, stating, "The most important thing is education. You know that our weapon in Gaza is education."

The four-day public session of the Gaza Tribunal marked the culmination of a year-long effort by international jurists, scholars, and civil society figures to document alleged crimes committed against Palestinians. The tribunal featured expert presentations and witness testimonies on Friday regarding issues such as starvation, ecocide, domicide, and the targeting of civilians and public infrastructure, including the health care and education systems.

Presided over by Richard Falk, former UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, the tribunal aims to produce a comprehensive 'people's record' of what participants describe as genocide, apartheid, and systemic violations of international law in Gaza. The tribunal's jury of conscience includes notable figures such as Kenize Mourad, Christine Chinkin, Chandra Muzaffar, Ghada Karmi, Sami Al-Arian, and Biljana Vankovska.