We are 12 Palestinian students and researchers from Gaza who earned the opportunity to study at Belgian universities during the 2026–2027 academic year.

After a highly competitive selection process, we were accepted by Belgian universities and awarded scholarships that recognize our academic achievements, dedication, and potential.

Behind these achievements are years of hard work, dreams, and determination. Many of us pursued education while living through unimaginable circumstances. We witnessed the destruction of our homes, our universities, and much of the life we knew. We have endured war, displacement, loss, and uncertainty, yet we continued to hold on to education as a path toward rebuilding our future.

Today, Gaza is still facing an extremely difficult reality. Movement remains impossible, basic systems are severely disrupted, and the humanitarian situation continues to affect every aspect of life. In the middle of this devastation, these 12 students are trying to protect something that cannot be destroyed: their hope, their education, and their future.

Our universities are waiting for us. Our scholarships are ready. Our futures have already been invested in.

However, we remain trapped in Gaza, unable to reach the educational opportunities that Belgium has already offered us.

Our challenge is not a lack of qualifications, admission, or commitment. The obstacle is the extraordinary situation we are facing: closed crossings, severe restrictions on movement, and the impossibility of completing normal visa procedures, attending appointments, or providing biometric data through the usual channels.

We fully respect Belgian laws and procedures. We are not asking for them to be ignored. We are asking for a practical and exceptional humanitarian solution that recognizes the reality on the ground.

We call on the Belgian authorities to find a legal and workable mechanism that allows these 12 scholarship students to safely reach Belgium and continue their education, while completing any remaining administrative procedures through the appropriate legal pathway.

Several European countries have already created exceptional solutions to help students from Gaza continue their education despite these unprecedented circumstances. This demonstrates that when there is commitment, practical solutions can be found.

This is a small and specific case involving only 12 students who have already been selected, admitted, and supported through Belgian educational institutions.

By helping us reach Belgium, you are not only protecting 12 educational opportunities. You are helping young people who survived destruction rebuild their lives through knowledge, skills, and contribution to society.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the chance to continue the future we worked so hard to build.

Please stand with Gaza scholarship students and help us reach our universities.