34 Gaza students evacuated to study in the UK

The first group of students from Gaza have been evacuated from the devastated territory after being accepted to study at British universities with fully funded scholarships and support from the UK government, as Israel's war rages on.

This is the first time since the Gaza war began in October 2023 that Palestinians in have been helped to leave to study in the UK.

The students are now in a third country for visa biometric checks before making their way to the UK, the BBC reports.

At least four of the 34 students to be evacuated are medical doctors. Other students have been given a Chevening Scholarship, a mostly government-funded scheme for international students to study for a one-year master's degree in the UK.

Over 100 Palestinian students hold offers from UK institutions this year, with many unable to leave Gaza amid Israel's genocidal war. It is unclear when the next group of students will be evacuated, according to the BBC.

Politicians, academics and many other people have been calling on the UK government to allow students from Gaza to study in the country as Israel's indiscriminate war has destroyed or damaged universities, including core institutions like the Islamic University of Gaza and the Al-Azhar University.

The campaign has resulted in policy changes and practical steps in 2025, leading to the evacuation of the 34 students. However, over 80 students are still unable to leave due to unresolved visa, biometric, and border transit requirements, making it almost impossible for Palestinian students to study in the UK.

At the same time, the "Gaza40" campaign, made up of a coalition of student groups, aimed to pressure the government to waive these requirements.

Over 17,000 Palestinian students have been killed in Gaza, with over 15,553 being pre-university students and at least 1,200 being university students, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Palestinian students' hope for completing further studies was further diminished as Israel launched its latest offensive to occupy Gaza City.

As Israel's war enters its 22nd month, Gaza's children will go a third year without going to school.