As Israel-Hamas conflict rages on, the tremors of this intense warfare have sent shockwaves reverberating through the scientific community, not just in the region but around the world.
In Israel, universities are mourning the loss of scientists and scholars who fell victim to a surprise attack by Hamas militants on October 7. Hamas, widely recognized as a terrorist organization, governs the Gaza Strip. The once-bustling academic laboratories are now empty as foreign graduate students return to their home countries, and young academics report for military service. Although some scientific research persists, as noted by Asher Cohen, the President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI), it's an uphill struggle to maintain full research facilities.
Within the Gaza Strip, researchers are grappling with the devastating effects of Israeli air attacks that have severely damaged the few scientific institutions in this beleaguered Palestinian enclave. The focus here is not on science, but rather on the pressing need for survival, as pointed out by Marwan Awartani, President of the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, situated in the West Bank.
The ongoing war is forcing research funders to reconsider their plans. For instance, the European Commission recently announced an extension of a week or more for applicants to complete upcoming requests for several major grant programs. "We offer our support to those affected by the recent hostilities," said Iliana Ivanova, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth.
On October 8, Israel declared war on Hamas following the group's brutal actions that included the murder of over 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals, the majority of whom were civilians, along with the kidnapping of 200 others. In Gaza, the death toll has exceeded 3,500, according to Palestinian authorities.
With more than 300,000 reservists called up by the Israeli military, colleges and universities in Israel have postponed the start of the fall semester until at least early November. Some institutions have converted their dormitories into accommodations for reservists or shelters for Israelis displaced by the war.
At Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, located just 41 kilometers from the Gaza border, several international postdoctoral students have left, often under pressure from their home countries. Unfortunately, the university, which also endured significant casualties in the Hamas attack, including the loss of at least 50 students, staff, and faculty members, including theoretical physicist Sergey Gredeskul and mathematician Viktoria Gredeskul, who were married. Others remain in captivity held by Hamas.
The scale of the tragedy has necessitated the development of a mourning protocol at Ben-Gurion University, ensuring that at least one member of the administration attends every funeral and shiva—the seven days of Jewish mourning.
While some research labs at Ben-Gurion University continue to operate, their productivity has been severely impacted. Postdoctoral researchers in data science and those working on journal articles continue to work, and the university has chosen to maintain scholarship payments for the next month, with the hope that the situation will stabilize.
At HUJI, biomedical researcher Yuval Dor reveals that five out of the 20 members of his laboratory, focusing on diabetes and disease detection, have left for military service. The atmosphere is heavy with distraction, as everyone is personally affected by the conflict. As Dor states, "Experiments have pretty much come to a halt." Furthermore, the laboratory had plans to launch a new company, but now fears that potential investors may shy away.
Dor expresses gratitude for the numerous messages of support received from colleagues abroad, yet the heartache of shifting focus from disease diagnosis to the methods for identifying the DNA of victims is undeniable.
Meanwhile, at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, some international students have decided to remain despite warnings to leave, a testament to their unwavering support in these challenging times.
In the Gaza Strip, the situation remains dire, as per Awartani, a former Education Minister for the Palestinian Authority governing the West Bank. Even before the current conflict, Israel's blockade of Gaza had severely hindered Palestinian researchers' access to funding and participation in overseas conferences, as well as the work of foreign researchers in Gaza's universities. The importation of scientific equipment was frequently blocked by Israel, citing security concerns.
Now, many of Gaza's already limited scientific infrastructure lie in ruins, with two major institutions, the Islamic University of Gaza and Al-Azhar University, suffering extensive damage from Israeli airstrikes. "It is evident that numerous students and faculty members have either lost their lives or suffered injuries," laments Awartani.
The Palestine Academy for Science and Technology issued a statement highlighting the incalculable long-term ramifications of this war on Gaza's higher education system, asserting that it may take years, if not generations, to rebuild the psychological, intellectual, and cultural fabric necessary for a thriving academic community.
