Afghanistan, July 26 -- An 18-year-old Palestinian girl who lost 17 members of her family and both legs in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza has passed her secondary-school final exams, earning the opportunity to pursue higher education despite the devastating losses she suffered during the war.
Shireen Abulqas' family home in Gaza City's al-Tuffah neighbourhood was hit by an airstrike on May 25, 2025, according to her account. The attack killed 17 members of her family and left Shireen with severe injuries that resulted in the loss of both legs.
While recovering in hospital, Shireen chose to continue her education, determined not to allow the trauma of war to end her academic ambitions.
Her success in the final exams has become a deeply pers...