Mohammad al-Saleh, a 16-year-old from Gaza, loves reading. He is a student intent on studying the English language as soon as he enrolls in college. Bending his head down, he carries his books and walks out of Gaza’s municipal library. He had been working in the library with his peers to put the final touches on a project.

Most young men in Gaza usually try to avoid studying English before college, due to the common perception that it is a hard and complicated language. However, Saleh’s case was different, and his interest in the language was quite peculiar. Yet, the Hamas-affiliated municipality in Gaza stepped on Saleh’s hopes to perfect his language skills — voluntarily and freely, with the help of a trainer — by shutting down an English-teaching club that he was part of.

Gaza’s municipality prides itself on several libraries and public cultural centers, which were initially designed for citizens so that they could visit them and benefit from the books and training sessions held there. However, the municipality issued several sudden decisions this week forbidding visitors from bringing their laptops to the library and banning interaction between girls and boys above the age of 9. Moreover, the meetings of the English-language club, which was part of the “Raise a Reader” initiative to enforce the role of public libraries in Gaza, were suspended.

This youth initiative aims to reinforce the importance and vitality of books and their role in developing the abilities of individuals, family and society. Youngsters participate in many events and cultural activities that contribute to enriching society through knowledge and promoting a culture of reading among Palestinians by targeting widely-visited public and civil institutions.