The initiative marks the first time Japan has utilized Official Development Assistance to provide university scholarships for Gaza students since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.
The scholarship program operates under the broader Middle East Human Resource Development Assistance Initiative, which saw the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the university reach a formal agreement in October 2024 to support Palestinian youth.
The Complex Logistics of Escaping a Siege
While 42 students were initially selected for the scholarship program starting in September 2025, 17 of them remained trapped inside Gaza as exit permissions require clearance from the Israeli government. Japan International Cooperation Agency personnel coordinated across multiple governments to secure safe transit, according to government accounts.
On August 24, the 17 students boarded buses that carried them through Israeli military-controlled territory to a southern checkpoint out of Gaza. From there, transport vehicles moved the group into Jordan before they boarded a flight to Cairo and traveled onward to Alexandria.
Eid’s university education had been interrupted by the destruction of her campus, and her family home fell inside Israeli military-controlled territory. In May 2025, an attack on her family’s evacuation site killed her 32-year-old brother, contributing to a local death toll that has surpassed 74,000 since hostilities began in October 2023.
“Here is where references, paper, and pens are available, and I can ask professors questions directly,” Eid said on September 20, noting the stark contrast to her academic reality in Gaza.
Broader Security and Regional Context
The scholarship deployment coincides with ongoing military operations across the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet intelligence agency announced the death of Sahel Nidal Atfi Saqru, a Hamas member implicated in the October 7, 2023, attacks. According to those reports, Saqru was killed in an airstrike in the Nuseirat camp after allegedly participating in the abduction of civilians during the Nova music festival.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Scholarship Candidates (Sep 2025 Entry) | 42 students total |
| Students Successfully Evacuated from Gaza | 17 students |
| Departure Date from Gaza | August 24 |
| Destination Institution | Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (Alexandria) |
| Financing Mechanism | Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) via JICA |
Institutional Objectives and Next Steps
"We want them to receive high-quality education, build connections with Japanese industry, and carve out a future," Youssef noted.
The university, established in 2010 through bilateral cooperation between Tokyo and Cairo, now hosts these students as they transition from displacement to formal academic tracks.
Related reading
