Students from Gaza fear losing scholarships in Turkey due to closure of crossings

Palestinian students from the Gaza Strip who have been granted scholarships by the Turkish government to complete their university studies in Turkey have said that they are now at risk of losing their places due to their inability to travel as a result of the continued closure of the crossings.

In separate interviews with correspondents from Anadolu Agency, the students expressed their concerns over losing their grants in the light of the closure of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip by Egyptian authorities on the one hand, and the Israeli authorities’ refusal to issue the necessary permits required for them to exit through the northern Gaza Strip crossing of Beit Hanoun “Erez” on the other hand.

This year, 86 Gazan students from different disciplines and levels of study (BA, MA, PhD) received grants from Turkish institutions to pushed their studies.

“Last August we got a visa to enter Turkish territory to join the university there, after a long journey of applying for a scholarship and passing many interviews,” said 26-year-old Mohammed Al-Hamaida, who has been accepted to complete his postgraduate studies at Turkey’s Marmara University

He continued: “The closure of the Rafah crossing for more than 85 days, and the procrastination of the Israeli authorities to issue permits to allow our crossing through the Erez crossing, has impeded our travel.”

Al-Hamaida expressed his fears of losing his Turkish scholarship, especially since the academic year in Turkish universities began more than a month and a half ago.

The PhD student said he had appealed to all competent authorities to intervene to facilitate the passage of Palestinian students through the Rafah crossing of Beit Hanoun “Erez” to join their schools in Turkey before losing their scholarships.

18-year-old Amaa Masood, who is due to study medicine in Turkey, said: “We were awarded the Turkish government’s scholarship after we have made great efforts in the preparations and interviews, but what hinders us from joining our universities in Turkey is the closure of the crossings.”

Massoud demanded that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah “communicate with Egypt and work to open the Rafah crossing, so as to allow the 86 students who were granted the Turkish scholarships to join their seats in the Turkish universities.”

23-year-old Mohammed Murad, who was granted a postgraduate scholarship to study a Masters in Computer Engineering at the Black Sea Technical University in Turkey, also showed concerns over losing the opportunity because of the continued closure of the border crossings.

“For 85 days now, we have been attempting to travel to join our universities in Turkey, but [we are being prevented] against our will.”

Murad stated that the delay in school enrolment will negatively affect the academic achievement of the students, especially as the academic year in Turkey began six weeks ago.

Another student, 18-year-old Islam Abu Shamala, who obtained a scholarship to study dentistry in Turkey’s Selcuk University, said that: “Our enrolment at universities outside the Gaza Strip to complete our studies,is one of our basic rights.”