Leading schools through wartime in Palestine

Purpose This research explores the experiences and leadership strategies of school principals navigating the war in Palestine. It aims to understand how these principals are leading their school communities amidst armed conflict. Design/methodology/approach Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 school principals in Gaza and its surrounding regions and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Our findings reveal that school principals in Palestine faced prolonged school closures, heavy damage to school infrastructure, severe staff shortages and shortage of resources, all while working to safeguard students and staff amid ongoing security threats. They demonstrated adaptive leadership by adjusting decisions to rapidly changing conditions, implementing alternative modes of education and placing a strong emphasis on the well-being of both students and staff. Principals provided targeted psychological support and introduced flexible arrangements to help sustain morale within their school communities. In addition, leveraging community networks and partnerships with non-government organisations, local authorities and parents emerged as a vital strategy in maintaining school operations and overcoming daily challenges. Originality/value This research provides important insights into how educational leaders in Palestine sustain education under extreme adversity, offering valuable implications for leadership practices in crisis contexts.