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MAHMOOD SANGLAY
Thirteen Palestinian medical students whose studies were disrupted by Israel’s assault on Gaza have graduated as doctors in South Africa after a two-year journey marked by displacement, uncertainty and extraordinary resilience.
The graduation ceremony on May 23 was hosted jointly by the Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA) and Gift of the Givers. The event celebrated the achievement of students who arrived in South Africa after the war interrupted their medical education in Gaza. Fellow Palestinian students who remain stranded in Egypt and have not yet been able to continue their studies were also acknowledged at the ceremony.
The graduates completed their studies through a collaborative effort involving South African universities, Al-Azhar University in Gaza, humanitarian organisations, volunteers and sponsors who supported them academically, financially and emotionally over the past two years.
For many of the students, the prospect of graduation seemed impossible when the war erupted.
Photo IMASA/GOTG
Dr Karim Alnajjar, one of the graduates, said the achievement was something he could scarcely imagine when he left Gaza.
‘If you came to me two years ago and told me I would graduate from medical school after everything that happened, I would have told you that you were joking,’ he said in a Radio Islam interview. He described leaving behind his family, books and notes amid the devastation of war and believing that completing his degree was no longer possible.
The emotional significance of the occasion extended beyond the graduates themselves. Because family members in Gaza could not attend the ceremony, the event was livestreamed, allowing parents and relatives to witness the milestone from afar. Families watched as their children crossed the graduation stage despite the immense obstacles that had stood in their way.
Alnajjar said his family watched the ceremony live from Gaza and were overjoyed by the achievement.
‘I think they were happier than me that day,’ he said, adding that the graduation validated the difficult decision his family had made to send him abroad to continue his studies.
The students’ academic journey unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing tragedy in Gaza. Alnajjar recalled the emotional strain of studying while family members endured displacement, bombardment and hunger.
‘The worst period of my life was during the starvation crisis,’ he said. ‘I was doing my rotations and exams while my family was living in tents.’
Despite these hardships, the students persevered, motivated by a sense of responsibility to their families and communities.
A central role in that journey was played by IMASA and Gift of the Givers. According to Alnajjar, the organisations supported the students from the moment they arrived in South Africa, helping to secure academic placements, providing equipment and assisting with university fees and living expenses.
‘There are not enough words to thank Gift of the Givers and IMASA,’ he said. ‘They were with us from day one.’
The ceremony brought together representatives from Al-Azhar University, the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Pretoria, alongside healthcare leaders, government representatives and members of the Palestinian diplomatic community. Speakers reflected on the students’ journey and the importance of international solidarity in ensuring that education could continue despite conflict and displacement.
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For IMASA and Gift of the Givers, the graduation represented more than an academic milestone. It demonstrated how coordinated humanitarian action can preserve opportunities for young people whose futures have been threatened by war.
In a statement, the organisers said the graduates now leave South Africa equipped with the skills, compassion and determination to serve communities around the world.
As the newly qualified doctors prepare for internships in various countries, their story stands as a reminder that education can endure even amid conflict, and that solidarity across borders can help transform disruption and loss into hope and healing.
