GAZA CITY, July 10 (IslamOnline.net) - As Palestinian students emerge from an exhausting school year, worsened by a grisly Israeli occupation, mosques almost turn into summer schools to entertain and meet the spare-time hobbies of the youth.

Swimming classes, computer courses and Qur’anic lessons are much sought-after on the mosques’ priority list.

"Summer is ample opportunity to attract as many Palestinian students as we can, so that they can direct their energies into something useful," Yassin Moshtahi, imam of Al-Mahkama mosque in Gaza City, told IslamOnline.net.

All mosques are competing to draw up their summer plans, which all appeal to Palestinian students, he said.

"Sport, computer and Qur’an memorization figure high on the mosque’s agenda," added the imam.

As the mosques pay undivided attention to the youth, the elderly are also not neglected in the sunny season with mosques arranging sessions to educate them on many religious and social issues.

Mohammad Al-Dahdouh, an activities supervisor in Imam Shafei mosque in Gaza, said summer is a time for Palestinian children to "convalesce" after months of hard work, sleepless night and unabated Israeli aggressions.

"During summer, they leave behind all the agony and concentrate on play," he said.

"Our main objective is to encourage the youth to interact with one another and stream their energies into optimal channels."

Dahdouh said mosques are cooperating with civil societies to provide educational and entertaining programs for the youth in return for nominal prices.

"We hire professional captains and teachers to polish up the physical and mental skills of our children, who will, God willing, liberate Palestine," added Jasser Al-Mashoukhi, imam of Al-Farouk mosque in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

He regretted that the Israeli military operations in Rafah undermine the effectiveness of their efforts.