Despite holding valid scholarships and, in several cases, approved visas, 13 Palestinian students from the besieged Gaza Strip are being barred from entering Belgium to pursue their higher education.
Belgium’s Minister of Asylum and Migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, recently stated her opposition to admitting the students, arguing that authorities must consider the broader implications of their entry. Speaking to local public broadcaster VRT, Van Bossuyt warned of a potential “domino effect.” She argued that framing the issue around only 13 individuals ignores the likelihood that they might eventually seek family reunification or file for asylum. The minister also questioned why Palestinians from the Gaza Strip should be granted special treatment compared to refugees fleeing other conflict zones like Yemen, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
However, this justification has sparked significant backlash from academic and humanitarian institutions. The University of Antwerp’s rector, Herwig Leirs, emphasised that bringing the students to Belgium is merely a matter of “political will.” Flor Didden from the development organisation 11.11.11 pointed out the glaring contradiction in the minister’s stance, noting that these students were formally invited by Belgian universities, awarded legitimate scholarships, and had even received visas issued directly by Van Bossuyt’s own department.
For some of these students, the bureaucratic deadlock has meant waiting for up to two years to begin their studies.
A European Double Standard?
Belgium’s refusal stands in stark contrast to the actions of other European nations that have successfully evacuated Palestinian scholars from the war-torn enclave.
Italy, for instance, has actively enrolled over 200 Palestinian students through a government-sponsored university corridor launched in 2025. Through its “IUPALS” program, Italy successfully flew 246 scholarship recipients to Italy and San Marino between September 2025 and June of this year. While roughly 50 students remain stuck in Gaza due to bureaucratic delays and language-testing requirements, the Italian effort demonstrates that large-scale evacuation is entirely possible.
Similarly, in the United Kingdom, vice-chancellors from prestigious institutions—including Cambridge, Oxford, and UCL—have warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his government that more than 100 accepted Gaza students, 48 of whom hold full scholarships, risk losing their placements without urgent evacuation. The academic leaders have heavily criticised the UK’s ban on Palestinian students bringing dependents with them.
Other nations, including Ireland and France, have coordinated directly with authorities to move students out through the Karem Abu Salem crossing, while the Netherlands successfully evacuated dozens of students via Jordan with what diplomats described as a “limited diplomatic effort.”
Despite the proven success of these international initiatives, Belgium’s leadership, including the foreign minister and the king, have reportedly signalled they can do no more to assist the 13 students, leaving them trapped as the Israeli war on Gaza continues.
Reference: Al-Mayadeen