Gaza students trapped by travel restrictions despite scholarships

Mariam al-Najar, a 24-year-old from Khan Younis, won a master's scholarship to Italy's University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, but Israeli travel restrictions, tightened by the US-Israeli war on Iran, have prevented her from leaving Gaza, jeopardizing her autumn term start. Around 269 Palestinian students have been evacuated to Italy since 2025, yet many face visa rejections and bureaucratic hurdles. Italy's foreign ministry says it facilitates travel, but experts cite Kafkaesque procedures as the main barrier.