Haya Abu Siteita: From Displacement and Widowhood to a New Chapter of Hope

Haya Abu Siteita, a young woman from Gaza, turned displacement and the loss of her husband into an academic success story. After scoring 99% in high school, she married, but her husband was killed by an Israeli sniper. After nine months of grief, she returned to complete her studies in multimedia, and will defend her graduation project on August 29, 2026, the anniversary of her husband's death. She now works at the University College of Applied Sciences, and considers education an act of resistance.

Haya Abu Siteita, a 23-year-old Palestinian woman from Gaza, excelled academically since high school with a 99% average, but the war turned her life upside down. She was displaced with her family and lost her husband, Tamer Abu Alba, who was killed by an Israeli sniper on August 29, 2025. She fell into a difficult psychological state that lasted nine months, but with the support of her mother and family, she returned to complete her studies in multimedia at the University College of Applied Sciences. She managed to achieve outstanding results and will defend her graduation project on August 29, 2026, the same date as her husband's death. She also obtained a temporary job opportunity at the college through a program targeting widows of martyrs and outstanding students. She suffers from internet and communication outages, but she is determined to continue working and studying, and considers education an act of resistance.