Travel restrictions – from Israel and Europe – trap students in Gaza

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkMariam al-Najar, currently living in Khan Younis in Gaza, is hoping to go to university in Italy [Courtesy of Mariam al-Najar]By Eman Abu ZayedPublished On 6 Aug 20266 Aug 2026Mariam al-Najar, a 24-year-old student from Khan Younis in Gaza, was waiting for a message that could change her life.When an email arrived two weeks after she applied for a scholarship from the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio in Italy, she felt, for a brief moment at least, that years of studying had finally paid off.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Is Israel’s Netanyahu preparing to fight Iran alone?list 2 of 3Eight countries denounce Israeli violations, attacks on healthcare in Gazalist 3 of 3Israel charges settler for killing Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleenend of listThe university confirmed that she had been offered a place for a master’s degree in economics and management, one of the few times during a long period of despair that Mariam had felt any hope about the future.“Being accepted was like a ray of light that suddenly appeared and gave me a sense of life and hope again,” she told Al Jazeera. “I was applying for scholarships while feeling deeply hopeless and I never expected to receive an acceptance.”The scholarship offer was not just an opportunity for Mariam to continue higher studies at a leading university but also offered hope of a new future amid Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.But securing a place at the university opened the door to a whole new set of challenges for Mariam.Italy was a main destination for the evacuation of Palestinian students from the Gaza Strip between 2025 and 2026.Approximately 229 students were evacuated from Gaza prior to May 2026, with another group of around 40 students joining in June 2026.Part of the reason for the high demand is attributed to the lower living and tuition costs in Italy compared to many other European countries. In Italy, the annual figure for students is around €10,200 ($11,773), compared with the United Kingdom and 30,000 pounds ($40,408) to 60,000 pounds ($80,820) per year.For Mariam, these still substantial costs were not the immediate challenge, the difficulty was how to reach Italy amid Israel’s siege on Gaza.“I did not believe that travel had become guaranteed, because the acceptance was only the beginning of the journey,” she said. “There are still many steps and challenges that need to be overcome.”Mariam applied for a visa and was approved, before she then contacted several organisations who may have been able to facilitate her journey to Italy. But Israeli restrictions on travel, made even tougher as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, mean that she has not yet been given permission to leave Gaza. That has put her arrival at the university in time for the start of autumn term in doubt.Every passing day in besieged Gaza brings a sense of lost opportunities for Mariam, particularly as Israel has almost completely destroyed the enclave’s educational sector and infrastructure.“It feels as though this is not just a journey for education; it has become a major challenge. Many students have had their visa applications rejected more than once and there are obstacles preventing students from travelling and continuing their studies abroad,” she said.“After years of trying and holding on to hope, losing this opportunity or having my studies postponed has become a nightmare that I fear could come true. This scholarship represents more than just education for me. It is a path towards a future I have tried to reach despite all circumstances.”Many students in Gaza have faced similar offers to study abroad, but seen their hopes crushed due to difficulties in travel and funding.“Behind every application and every scholarship, there is a student with a dream who is simply trying not to lose their future,” she said.“The scholarship is not just an opportunity to study; it is a hope that the years of our resilience and struggle during the war will not turn into a lost dream.”The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it works with universities to help facilitate travel for students from Gaza to Italy.But the main obstacle facing them is not obtaining university admission itself, but navigating a Kafkaesque bureaucracy, both to leave Gaza and to enter Italy, said Professor Giovanna Citti from the University of Bologna.“The main obstacle facing Palestinian students from Gaza is not obtaining university admission itself, but their ability to leave Gaza and complete the procedures required to reach Italy,” Citti said. “Even after receiving admission, students need authorisation to leave Gaza and, in many cases, they have to transit through Israel and Jordan.”“Humanitarian corridors required intensive diplomatic negotiations because obtaining exit permits from Gaza is extremely difficult,” Citti added. “The students are academically qualified and highly motivated. The problem is not their ability to study; the problem is creating a clear and reliable pathway for them to reach their universities.”“The delay in travel procedures has become a major concern for students who have already received scholarships and university places.” Pathway to universityAs increasing numbers of students find themselves in similar situations to Mariam, initiatives focused on scholarships and student travel have emerged to address the growing challenge.One of those is Gaza40+, which has more than 1,200 registered Palestinian students seeking help in continuing their education outside Gaza. Students risk losing their scholarships or university places if they fail to reach the university in time for fixed enrolment deadlines.More than 500 of these students have already received university offers from institutions across Europe, while others continue receiving support throughout the application and scholarship process. The initiative says registrations continue to increase, with about five to 10 new student and volunteer registrations received each day.Gaza40+ has helped 120 students leave Gaza to continue their studies abroad since it was formed, in addition to 20 family members who travelled with them.Despite hundreds of students securing university admissions and scholarships, leaving Gaza remains the biggest obstacle to continuing their education.Gaza40+ says the absence of a clear and consistent humanitarian pathway to exit Gaza for universities abroad is one of the biggest challenges for Palestinian students.The initiative says that while some countries had previously provided relatively easier routes for students from Gaza, that was now changing.In Italy, for example, students were recently informed that they must demonstrate Italian language proficiency before being considered for evacuation from Gaza. While the government says the requirement is essential, it creates another barrier for students already in the heart of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.“Students are not losing opportunities because of their academic qualifications or their commitment. They are losing them because of circumstances beyond their control,” said Nasser Taha from Gaza40+.“We need stronger coordination between governments, universities, and international organisations to ensure that Gaza students can reach their universities and do not lose their educational opportunities.”Gaza40+ says ensuring a pathway for students from Gaza to their studies abroad requires coordination between governments, universities and international organisations.Doaa Fawzi Hamdan, a student at the University of Bologna, said that scholarship had appeared to provide an opportunity for her to continue her education after three years of disruptions in Gaza.Despite completing all the required paperwork – and frequent electricity shortages, weak internet connection and forced displacement – she is still waiting for an Italian visa.“The most difficult part is receiving acceptance from a university but not knowing whether you will be able to reach it on time,” Doaa told Al Jazeera. “We are not asking for special treatment. We only want the opportunity to reach our universities and begin our studies like students everywhere in the world.”