Full Breakdown
Belgian Government Deadlock Blocks Evacuation of Gaza Scholarship Students
By Drooid · · How we work
Stalled Evacuation Plan for 13 Gaza Scholars
A five-party coalition led by Flemish nationalist Prime Minister Bart De Wever failed to reach an agreement on a plan to evacuate 13 Palestinian students and researchers from Gaza to Belgian universities. The scholars hold competitive scholarships in public health, communications and computer science but cannot obtain visas because collection points are limited to Jerusalem, Cairo or Jordan—locations they cannot reach from Gaza.
Political Context of the Coalition Split
Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot withdrew his proposal after the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) rejected it unless Belgium granted concessions on unrelated migration issues, including the return of convicted Afghan criminals. Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) opposed the students’ entry, arguing it could trigger “domino effects” for family reunifications and asylum claims from other conflict zones.
Key Figures
- Ahmed Abujami – 28-year-old doctor, scholarship in public health at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp.
- Salwa Abu Elhaj – 23-year-old communications graduate slated for KU Leuven, currently living in a tent.
- Ahmed Alsalibi – 39-year-old computer-science professor, fellow at the Free University of Brussels.
- Bart De Wever – Prime Minister, Flemish nationalist party leader.
- Maxime Prevot – Deputy prime minister and foreign minister who proposed the evacuation.
- Anneleen Van Bossuyt – Asylum and migration minister (N-VA) opposing the plan.
- Rectors of seven leading Belgian universities – Issued an open letter condemning the deadlock.
Data & Statistics
- 13 scholars are directly affected.
- About 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza have been granted the right to travel to Belgium under family-reunification rules, according to NGOs.
- Since the October 2025 ceasefire, 10,500 people have exited Gaza, per Israeli border figures; an estimated 2,300 left for non-medical reasons such as education.
Official Statements & Responses
- Maxime Prevot announced the withdrawal of his proposal after it was “completely rejected” by a coalition partner unless migration concessions were made.
- The rectors’ open letter in *De Standaard* called the deadlock “unacceptable,” emphasizing that the scholars are not “illegal migrants” but selected through independent, competitive processes.
Criticism & Opposition
University leaders said the coalition lacks political will and accused the government of using the scholars as “bargaining chips” in broader migration negotiations. They stressed the scholarships align with Gaza’s reconstruction needs and that the students intend to return after their studies.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are 13 students who followed every rule, went through a strict academic selection process and earned scholarships to study in Belgium. We have nothing to do with the political disagreements surrounding our case.” — Gaza Strip.
- “There is constant uncertainty about safety, food, water, electricity, communication and even what will happen the next day.” — Ahmed Alsalibi, computer-science professor.
- “Our universities are waiting for us, our academic year is already moving forward and every day we remain trapped in Gaza puts our futures at greater risk,” — Ahmed Abujami, doctor.
What’s Next
Anneleen Van Bossuyt is expected to present a formal statement to parliament later this week, and university rectors have pledged to keep pressing the government. The students’ academic year has already begun at several Belgian institutions, raising concerns that delays could jeopardize their scholarship placements and the expertise they hope to bring back to Gaza’s reconstruction.