https://arab.news/4ej75
- A total of 192 Palestinian medical students from war-torn Gaza will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani institutions
- Initiative launched through collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and Al-Khidmat Foundation
ISLAMABAD: A second batch of 61 Palestinian medical students from Gaza out of 192 left Cairo on Monday to travel to Pakistan where they plan to continue their studies, the Pakistani embassy in Egypt said.
The second batch of Palestinian students left for Islamabad hours after the first batch arrived in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore from Cairo. The embassy said the Palestinian students will continue their studies in Pakistani medical universities on fully funded programs under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directions.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students so that they are able to continue their medical studies in Pakistan as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East. The initiative is a collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and leading Pakistani non-governmental organization, the Al-Khidmat Foundation.
“Under the directions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and special efforts of Global Relief Trust, Doctors of Rahman, and Al-Khidmat Foundation, the second batch of 61 Palestinian students from Gaza left Cairo for Islamabad today,” Pakistan’s Embassy in Cairo said.
It said Pakistan embassy officials and the Al-Khidmat Foundation representatives facilitated the Palestinian students’ departure at the Cairo International Airport.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that cases of meningitis, jaundice, impetigo, chickenpox and other upper respiratory tract infections have been recorded in Gaza. Almost 600,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea have been recorded due to lack of clean water and other causes, as well as other waste-borne diseases.
Several international media outlets have reported significant destruction of hospitals and universities in Gaza since October last year.
The WHO and other sources have documented severe damage to the area’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.
There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics.