London,August 26(HS):
The UK government has approved plans to allow around 40 Palestinian students from Gaza to travel to Britain in the coming weeks to take up fully funded university scholarships.
Among them are nine students awarded Chevening scholarships, the government’s flagship programme for international one-year master’s degrees. A further 30 students with privately funded awards will also be offered assistance to leave the war-torn enclave.
This will mark the first evacuation of Gazan students to the UK since the Hamas-Israel war erupted in 2023, though each departure requires Israel’s consent and comes with significant logistical hurdles. Students will first be taken to a third country in the region for visa checks before traveling to Britain.
A Home Office source acknowledged the plan was “complex and challenging” but stressed that ministers want the students to begin their studies. The decision follows months of lobbying by UK politicians, academics, and campaigners on behalf of more than 80 Palestinian students accepted to British universities this year.
The move comes amid strained UK-Israel relations after London warned it would recognise a Palestinian state if Israel failed to meet certain conditions tied to the Gaza conflict.
In parallel, the UK is preparing to evacuate a group of critically ill and injured Gazan children for medical treatment. Countries including Italy, Ireland, and France have already flown out students, though France recently suspended its programme after controversy involving a Palestinian student.
The Gaza war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage, has since claimed over 60,000 Palestinian lives, leaving civilians — including students — trapped without diplomatic intervention.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
