Government won't help at least 20 Palestinian students accepted to Irish universities but stranded in Gaza
Reported in partnership with Drop Site
Palestinian scholarship students with places at Irish universities and processed visas remain trapped in Gaza as the Irish government refuses to evacuate Palestinians who aren’t on “official government scholarships”.
At least 20 – but possibly up to 40 – Palestinian students have been accepted to Irish universities with full tuition and accommodation waivers. The Irish embassy in Tel Aviv has confirmed their visa applications meet all requirements for approval.
They are however still in Gaza – the Department of Foreign Affairs has said, "Those students who have not been awarded a government scholarship do not meet the current criteria for assistance," in a response health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill forwarded to student advocates.
Advocates for the students have also contacted agriculture minister Martin Heydon, junior minister Thomas Byrne, senator Aidan Davitt and the taoiseach's office.
Ultimately the Department of Foreign Affairs have "effectively fobbed off” the advocates, said a source close to the students.
‘The students are losing hope’
Correspondence sent last month to agriculture minister Martin Heydon explained the case of one incoming master’s student from Palestine.
The student has had a full scholarship to an Irish university since February. They missed an Irish-led evacuation in April and have been waiting for the past three months for another opportunity to leave Gaza, the correspondence explains, but they remain stuck because of a policy decision.
The Irish embassy in Tel Aviv later confirmed the student’s visa has already been processed and when approved it will be for “multiple” entries. However the same embassy correspondence said it “does not have plans for evacuation in the near future” – meaning they’re stranded in Gaza.
Other countries continue to evacuate people from Gaza. France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs recently announced it evacuated 37 people on 9 July and 292 since January 2025.
Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said on 15 July it has no immediate plans to do the same.
An advocate for the Palestinian scholars in Gaza who contacted health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill received a response after the health minister consulted Simon Harris’s Department of Foreign Affairs. Carroll MacNeill forwarded its reply on 15 July.
Though the department spokesperson said, "Ireland continues to advocate internationally for an urgent end to hostilities,” the state would not evacuate these students.
The Irish embassy in Tel Aviv has similarly been unable to help.
When asked if Ireland could facilitate students joining evacuations led by other countries, the embassy replied in correspondence dated 14 May, "If we evacuate out someone on an Irish visa we cannot ask another embassy to deal with the logistics as this is a complicated process."
This week GAA Palestine announced the cancellation of a planned tour for 47 Palestinian children and coaches because of visa refusals despite some having "previously travelled to Ireland this year without issue”, as reported by the Irish Examiner.
Separately just 12 of 30 medical evacuations of children promised by the Irish state have been completed since December, according to reporting by The Journal. Taoiseach Micheál Martin denied last week that delays or administrative issues were blocking the children's transfer.
A source close to a number of the young Palestinians who want to study in Ireland told The Ditch, “The students are losing hope as they watch evacuation after evacuation depart without them to countries that have publicly been far less supportive of Palestine than Ireland.”
The Irish embassy in Tel Aviv and the Department of Foreign Affairs have been contacted for comment.