Nine students in Gaza received an email from the UK government this week informing them that it is working to get them evacuated. If successful, these Chevening scholars - recipients of a highly competitive UK Foreign Office grant - would be the first to leave the Strip for study in the UK since the Israel-Gaza war began. It follows months of campaigning by politicians, academics, and others on behalf of more than 80 Palestinian students who have offers from UK universities this year, including around 50 with fully funded scholarships. Palestinians have largely been unable to leave Gaza without diplomatic assistance since October 2023, when Israel launched a military campaign after Hamas's attack on southern Israel, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. The Foreign Office has not confirmed how many students will be supported or when evacuations will take place, leaving dozens of Gazan students with other ...