Gaza student Mariam al-Najar trapped by travel restrictions

Mariam al‑Najar, a 24‑year‑old from Khan Younis in Gaza, was offered a place to study economics and management at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio in Italy. She secured an Italian visa and sought assistance to leave Gaza, but Israeli travel restrictions – tightened further after the US‑Israeli war with Iran – have prevented her departure, jeopardising her ability to start the autumn term.

Her case illustrates a wider problem for Palestinian students who have earned scholarships abroad but cannot reach their universities. Italy has become a primary destination for evacuated Gaza students, with about 229 evacuated before May 2026 and another 40 in June 2026, attracted by lower tuition and living costs compared with other European nations.