Tánaiste welcomes arrival of 52 Palestinians from Gaza to study in Irish universities

Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris announced today, Thursday, August 28, the imminent arrival in Ireland of 52 Palestinians from Gaza.

The first group of 26 is expected to arrive today, with the remaining students, who have all been offered scholarships by Irish education institutions, arriving between tomorrow and Sunday.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Thursday that it and its Embassies in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Türkiye "worked closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that the group could make this journey."

The Department said: "Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has supported more than 200 people to leave Gaza and travel to Ireland.

"As exit from Gaza is dependent on receipt of permission from the relevant local authorities, both in Israel and neighbouring jurisdictions, such assistance often rests outside the control of the Government of Ireland."

Announcing the arrival of the young people from Gaza, the Tánaiste said in a video on Thursday: "I know people right across our country feel so strongly about the horrors that are ongoing in Gaza, the genocidal situation, and I want you to know I share those views, too."

"It's really important we find practical ways in which we can support people in Gaza, and one of those ways is enabling some students to come from Gaza and study in Irish universities."

The Tánaiste said his Department had been "working really hard to try and secure a safe passage out of Gaza and to Ireland" for the students who want to study in Ireland under a scholarship program put in place by Irish universities.

"Obviously, these students are coming from a war-torn region, from the most horrific humanitarian situation," the Tánaiste said. "They will, of course, be assessed in terms of their health, in terms of their nourishment, in terms of any supports required in relation to that. And they then will take up studies in Irish universities."

According to RTE News, the operation involved coordinated action by a number of Irish universities, including South East Technological University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University of Limieck, Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, University of Galway, Maynooth University, Atlantic Technological University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Technological Dublin, and Dublin City University.

In an accompanying statement, the Tánaiste said: “We remain gravely concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, including the recent decision of the Israeli authorities to escalate their military offensive. This will only exacerbate the current suffering and ever-rising number of civilian casualties.

"Famine has been declared in parts of the Gaza Strip and is projected to spread further in the coming weeks. There is no justification for this man-made humanitarian crisis.

"Ireland has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire agreement and permanent end to hostilities, for the immediate release of all hostages and for the rapid, unimpeded and large-scale entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”