A group of 34 students from Gaza, who are set to begin studies at British universities, has been evacuated and will arrive in the UK within days. This marks the first instance of such assistance since the onset of the ongoing conflict in the region. The students are currently in a neighboring country undergoing biometric visa checks before completing their journey. All individuals in the group hold fully funded scholarships and have received UK government support for their evacuation.
The cohort includes at least four medical doctors and departed from Gaza on Wednesday. They are anticipated to arrive in the UK early next week to start their university programs. One evacuated student described the last 48 hours as “very intense” and expressed the emotional difficulty of leaving family members and fellow students who remain in Gaza.
The group consists of participants in the Chevening Scholarship program, which is primarily funded by the UK government to support international students pursuing one-year master’s degrees in the UK. The evacuation follows extensive advocacy from politicians, academics, and other stakeholders for over 100 Palestinian students with offers from UK universities.
However, it is uncertain when additional students will be evacuated. Dr. Nora Parr, a researcher with the University of Birmingham who has been involved in supporting these students, expressed hope that the UK government will facilitate the evacuation of other eligible candidates, noting that at least 35 students with full scholarships remain stranded in Gaza. She highlighted concerns for students with dependents, as some have declined to leave due to family obligations.
Earlier in the week, severely ill children from Gaza arrived in the UK for urgent medical care. The situation remains complex, with rising tensions following Israel’s recent military actions in the region and the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czxwyygpgplo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss