Belgium’s king and the country’s foreign minister both say they can do no more to evacuate 13 Gaza students to take up the scholarships they won at Belgian universities — yet other European states, led by Italy, have shown it can be done.
All it took to get out “several dozen” Gaza students via Jordan was a “limited diplomatic effort”, a Dutch diplomat told EUobserver.
And the UK extracted over 100 Gazan students for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The group of 13 Gaza students trying to reach Belgium had their hopes raised when the Royal Palace of King Philippe replied to their appeals in July.
The palace had highlighted their case with Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prévot, the palace said, writing on a page emblazoned with a purple crown letterhead.
