Azerbaijan has successfully evacuated 14 Palestinian students from the Gaza Strip, enabling them to pursue higher education in Azerbaijan under the Heydar Aliyev International Education Grant program.
The evacuation was conducted at the request of Palestine, News.Az reports, citing Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.
The ongoing conflict and instability in Gaza had previously prevented the students—admitted last year and this year—from traveling to Azerbaijan. Following appeals from the students and an official request from the Palestinian side, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry coordinated their safe transfer.
The students were first evacuated overland to Jordan and then flown from Amman to Baku. The evacuation process, which began on September 17, has so far seen 10 students arrive at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, with the remaining four expected shortly.
Their safe transfer was facilitated through the direct involvement of Azerbaijan’s embassies in Israel and Jordan, support from its representative office in Palestine, and extensive coordination with Israeli and Jordanian authorities.
Upon arrival, the students were welcomed by officials from the Ministry of Science and Education and assigned dormitory accommodations at their respective universities. Of the 14 students, eight were selected by the State of Palestine in 2024, and six were admitted this year.
