Books have always held an esteemed position in society. However, the scholarly air that emanates from tireless reading and burning the midnight oil holds little value amid the blood and chaos of years of war. When the inhumane demons of war are blinded by bloodlust, and unarmed commoners count it a luxury just to be alive, they can hardly think about how books cultivate character.
A few weeks ago, I read in the morning news that Israel threatened to annex Gaza if Hamas did not swiftly release hostages. Alongside was a striking photo of children placing heavy books in a box amid the rubble of bombing. The caption said matter-of-factly that the resurgence of conflict had worsened the lack of resources in the Gaza strip, and displaced children were scavenging books from a bombed Islamic university to use as fuel for cooking.
