LONODN: A Palestinian mother of three in Gaza has pleaded with UK authorities for assistance in taking up her scholarship at a British university, The Independent reported.
Amany, 34, was awarded a Phoenix Space scholarship to study for a master’s degree in gender and international relations at the University of Bristol.
She is one of 25 Palestinian students with British scholarships who remain trapped in Gaza because the UK Home Office has yet to place their names on evacuation lists used by British flights from the enclave.
If Amany is allowed to evacuate, however, she might be forced to leave her family and three children behind in order to pursue her education.
“This opportunity represents far more than physical relocation; it is a lifeline to reclaim our right to education, dignity, and hope after enduring unimaginable hardship,” she told The Independent.
“The prolonged war and repeated displacements have left students feeling disconnected from the world, unable to pursue their dreams or even imagine a normal future.”
Her family have been made homeless seven times due to Israeli military activity. All of their homes have been reduced to rubble.
Amany has moved around Gaza with her husband, 10-year-old daughter and two sons, aged 6 and 2.
Her potential evacuation to Britain offers “not just safety, but a renewed sense of purpose,” she said. “It allows us to rejoin academic communities where learning, creativity, and human connection can flourish once again.”
Amany said her closest family members are outside Gaza, leaving no option for the care of her children should they be denied UK entry.
“My parents are in Egypt, my sisters are in the UK and Germany, and my mother-in-law and her daughter are in the UAE for medical treatment,” she added.
“Yet I believe that advancing my education in a country like the UK, where academic excellence, innovation and strong humanitarian values converge, will allow me to rebuild more effectively when I return.”
Top British university officials earlier this week penned a joint letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer demanding urgent action on the evacuation of Palestinian students.
A government spokesperson told The Independent earlier this week: “We are actively supporting students in Gaza. We have already facilitated the departure of a number of students and expect further students to arrive in the coming weeks.
“Bringing individuals out of Gaza is an extremely complex and delicate operation. We have worked intensely to support Chevening Scholars and students in Gaza who have fully funded scholarships at British universities to come to the UK and take up their places.”
