Readers’ letter: Hungary’s Palestinian scholarship students still stranded in Gaza despite existing evacuation routes

23 Palestinian students awarded Hungarian scholarships remain unable to leave Gaza, despite the existence of evacuation pathways, as hopes rise following recent political changes in Hungary.

Raed Weshah is one of 23 Palestinian students from Gaza who were awarded the prestigious Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship to study in Hungary. Like many others, he spent years working toward this opportunity: studying, preparing, and successfully passing every stage of the admission process.

For him, and for the rest of the group, this was more than just a scholarship. It was a lifeline — a chance to build a future defined by education, stability, and dignity.

But today, that future remains just out of reach.

Despite being officially accepted into Hungarian universities across Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programs, and despite being granted deferral until 2026 due to the ongoing war, none of the students have been able to leave Gaza to begin their studies. Their acceptance exists on paper—but not in reality.

What makes this situation even more difficult is that pathways to leave do exist.
In recent months, two primary exit routes have been operating: the Rafah crossing and the Kerem Shalom crossing, each requiring coordination between multiple authorities.

The Rafah crossing, connecting Gaza to Egypt, is currently open for humanitarian cases such as students, medical patients, and family reunification. Travel through this route requires coordination with Egyptian authorities and the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), typically facilitated through embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv.

The Kerem Shalom crossing follows a different, more structured process. It requires security clearance through COGAT, along with parallel coordination with Jordanian authorities to obtain a “No Objection” document allowing entry into Jordan. This process is usually managed through embassies in Tel Aviv and Amman, which submit official lists and coordinate approvals. Once cleared, individuals are transported through designated routes and continue toward Jordan via the King Hussein Bridge.

These mechanisms are real. They are functioning. And they have already been used by multiple countries to evacuate their students and citizens from Gaza.
Yet for these students, they remain out of reach.

Despite the existence of both opportunity and pathway, there is still no coordination connecting the two.

Official responses have only deepened this gap. The Tempus Public Foundation has stated it cannot assist with evacuation. The Hungarian Representative Office in Ramallah has indicated it cannot provide consular protection under current conditions. Outreach to political offices has so far resulted in polite acknowledgements, but no concrete steps.

This leaves the students in a situation that is as simple as it is painful: they have done everything required of them, and yet they cannot move forward.

“We are not asking for new opportunities — we are asking for the chance to reach the future we have already earned,” Raed says.

Around him, others carry the same weight in different words.

“We did everything right — and still, we are unable to begin,” says Mostafa.

“Our lives are on hold, waiting for decisions we have no control over,” says Mohammed.

“We are ready to leave at any moment — but there is no path we can follow,” says Ahmed.

“This scholarship is not just education — it is my only way to rebuild my life,” says Lana.

“We are already accepted — all that is missing is the ability to get there,” says Lna.

“It is painful to see your future clearly, but remain unable to reach it,” says Nour.

“Every passing day feels like something is slipping away from us,” says Toqa.

“We are not stuck because we failed — we are stuck because there is no system to move us,” says Abdalhai.

“All we need is one real step — without it, everything stays frozen,” says Anas.

“We are not numbers — we are students whose lives are waiting to begin,” says Bashar.

“We worked for years for this moment, but we are still unable to take the first step,” says Qusai.

“This opportunity means everything — and we risk losing it without ever starting,” says Sameh.

“We are ready, we are qualified, but we remain unable to leave,” says Osama.

Now, with the political shift in Hungary following the electoral victory of Péter Magyar, the students hold on to a fragile sense of hope — that their situation may finally be seen not just as a distant issue, but as an urgent responsibility.

They hope that the new government will take meaningful steps, in line with other European Union countries that have already acted to evacuate their students and citizens from Gaza through coordinated mechanisms.

Because for them, the issue is no longer abstract. It is not about policy, or procedure, or paperwork. It is about time. Time that is passing. Opportunities that are fading. And futures that remain suspended — not because they were denied, but because they cannot be reached.

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