21 Gaza Students in Ireland Face Post-Masters Challenges After Evacuation
Twenty-one Gazan students, evacuated to Ireland last year, are completing their master's degrees and confronting challenges like employment and accommodation. Despite trauma and ongoing family worries in Gaza, they express gratitude for Ireland's support. A Maynooth University bootcamp provided guidance as they transition to post-academic life.
Twenty-one students from Gaza, evacuated to Ireland last year, are completing their one-year master's programs and facing new challenges. Most arrived in late August 2023, with some like Niven Loubbad arriving earlier in April 2023, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On Friday, Maynooth University hosted a bootcamp for these students, offering advice on employment, immigration, and accommodation. Niven Loubbad, finishing a Master's in Applied Intercultural Communication at Trinity College, expressed anxiety about finding accommodation, finishing her thesis, and entering the Irish job market. Hamza Ibrahim, completing a journalism master's at University of Limerick, focuses on his future while worrying about his family in Gaza.
All students share a deep concern for their families in Gaza. Niven experienced frantic worry during an airstrike on her family's street, eventually confirming their safety. Lujayn Anan's family returned to their damaged Gaza City apartment, and she feels they hide the full truth of their situation. Abdallah Aljazzar, whose younger brother Nour went missing two years ago during the bombardment of Rafah, also feels a disconnect, noting his family in a tent camp avoids discussing the genocide.
Abdallah, completing a master's in English literature at Maynooth, co-organized the bootcamp to help students navigate life beyond campus. He describes his life in Ireland as surreal, contrasting his past struggle for water in Gaza with easy access now. Despite the trauma and uncertainty, students like Hamza and Lujayn express gratitude for Ireland's hospitality and support, with Hamza feeling "born again in Limerick" and Lujayn finding strength in Irish solidarity. Ireland took in approximately 100 students from Gaza, more than any other country.