Karam Al-Kurd, a 17-year-old resident of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, emerged as an unexpected winner of the Palestinian Mathematical Olympiad. Over the past year, Al-Kurd’s home has accommodated several evacuated relatives, and the family often relied on canned food due to limited resources. With scarce solar power available to charge his phone, Al-Kurd used whatever means he could to continue his studies.
Unable to attend any training courses for the competition, Al-Kurd had to self-educate using guidance from his older brother and a few textbooks after his school was closed due to Israel’s military actions. His self-study efforts bore fruit when his top score in the five-hour online test secured him a place in the international final, set to be held in the UK in July, competing alongside teams from 108 countries. This opportunity would mark his first journey outside of Gaza.
Samed AlHajajla, the 25-year-old leader of the Palestinian International Mathematical Olympiad team, described Al-Kurd as an “undiscovered talent.” The practice of competitive mathematics might seem esoteric, especially in conflict-affected areas like Gaza, where education has been disrupted. Nevertheless, academic hopefuls there strive to continue their studies amid challenging circumstances.
Following the onset of the conflict triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel, Israel’s offensive in Gaza resulted in over 43,000 deaths, according to local health authorities, and widespread displacement. Despite these challenges, AlHajajla is committed to ensuring young Palestinians achieve academic success at high levels. AlHajajla emphasized the importance of creative and critical thinking as a foundation for problem-solving, beyond mere knowledge of theories and laws.
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), over its 65-year history, has served as a platform for some of the world’s brightest young mathematical minds. AlHajajla relocated from London to the West Bank last year to train students for the IMO and its computer science equivalent through his social enterprise, Meshka, attracting nearly 1,000 applicants this year.
Among the candidates selected for the 2024 team was Al-Kurd. The program included intensive training sessions conducted via Zoom with mathematicians from Palestine and abroad. Another student, Hasan Saleh, 17, joined a handful of these sessions using a shared phone before being forced to flee his home due to the conflict.
However, the closure of the Rafah crossing to Egypt in May prevented both Al-Kurd and Saleh from applying for UK visas, knowing they could not leave Gaza. The other two team members based in the West Bank had their travel plans thwarted when their passports and visas disappeared in transit, an issue that remains under investigation by the IMO ethics committee.
The complications were disappointing for the team, who had hoped for their first medal win. AlHajajla expressed a belief that the IMO should have offered alternatives, like online participation, especially given the context of conflict. Gregor Dolinar, president of the IMO, expressed hope that future competition arrangements would be made to include teams affected by conflicts.
Saleh, who is currently living in a tent in a “humanitarian zone,” expressed interest in entering the Olympiad again, despite the obstacles he faces in studying. Al-Kurd continues his education online, engaging with topics like calculus and number theory using his smartphone. Despite not being able to accept a scholarship in India due to travel restrictions, he aspires to apply to universities abroad in the future.
Al-Kurd stated that mathematics serves as a distraction from the adversities of war, motivating him to maintain his focus. His ambitions are supported by AlHajajla’s vision of nurturing a generation inspired by mathematics across Palestine, aiming to enhance problem-solving skills among the youth as the country looks toward a different future.
