To his Excellency, the future Prime Minister of the Netherlands,

Dear Mr. Jetten,

In Gaza, education has been deliberately destroyed since the beginning of the genocide: all institutions of higher education have been bombed. Studying is now only possible online, on a very limited scale, while people still fall victim to Israeli bombing, hunger, and a blockade every day. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs talks about “changed circumstances” and the media speaks of a “ceasefire,” there is no safe situation for many people in Gaza. There is only a continual threat.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuses to provide assistance

At the same time, there are currently 42 Gazans with a valid Dutch residence permit for study, research, or work. These are people with a scholarship, fellowship, or expat contract: people who can study, work, and provide for themselves (and their families) here. From February 1, 2026, they were admitted to courses and institutes in the Netherlands. They have already obtained their rights, but cannot exercise them. Without active support from the Dutch government, it is practically impossible to leave Gaza, because Israel illegally maintains complete control over who is allowed to enter and leave Gaza. Consular assistance is essential in this regard, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently refusing to provide it.

So it is possible

On February 2, 2026, there was an emergency hearing about three so-called MVV (provisional residence permit) holders . The ruling will be issued until February 16, 2026. The other 39 Gazans remain in exactly the same situation: stuck in a devastated area, despite having valid Dutch documents. The Netherlands has offered help in the past. In August 2025, 10 Gazans with Dutch documents were evacuated with consular support. And in September, people were able to leave Gaza, including five students who were able to continue their studies at Maastricht University, as well as the journalist Abu Ahmed Artema, affiliated with the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, who now writes for De Correspondent. So it is possible.

Moral and political duty

We believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should not wait for a court ruling, and also that a court ruling should not be a requirement. This is not only a legal issue, but a moral and political obligation. European countries have actively contributed to the circumstances that made this genocide possible and, in a broader sense, to the oppression and apartheid to which Palestinians have been subjected since 1948. The absolute minimum that the Netherlands can now do is to help these students, researchers, and skilled workers to continue their studies and work in safety. The universities and companies are waiting for them. Scholars and fellow students are ready to offer shelter and support. One thing is missing: action by the government.

We ask the Jetten Cabinet, and specifically the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to:

• Provide consular assistance to all 42 Gazans with valid residence permits now, and organize their evacuation, and where applicable, that of their immediate family members.

• Arrange this collectively and pragmatically, without everyone having to go through years of individual legal proceedings.

• Take the necessary administrative steps immediately: register these people as persons who are allowed to leave, so that they can use their MVV (Provisional Residence Permit).

• Stop frustrating future evacuations: establish that the State Department will not delay or block necessary future evacuations, but will instead assist.

• Actively coordinate with universities, companies, and institutions that want to allow people from Gaza to study or work in the Netherlands, so that this process is quick, clear, and humane.

A paper permit is worthless if departure is made impossible in practice. These people are not asking for a favour. They are asking the Netherlands to do what it has already agreed to do.

It is important that Gazan researchers and academics be able to come to the Netherlands because:

• It is a matter of immediate safety

  These people are trapped in a devastated area. Without active Dutch support, they cannot leave Gaza. In such a situation, “waiting for procedures” is not neutral: it is a choice that results in real danger to life. If the Netherlands has the ability to get people with valid papers out safely, it must do so now.

• Education in Gaza has been deliberately destroyed

  More than 90% of schools and universities have been bombed out. Students, teachers, and staff have been deliberately attacked and killed. More than 700,000 Gazans have little or no access to educationeven though education is essential for recovery and reconstruction.

• The Netherlands has a responsibility

  For decades, the Netherlands has unconditionally supported Israel morally, economically, academically, and militarily, while knowing that this support normalized the oppression of Palestinians. This long-term normalization is partly the breeding ground for the genocide that is still ongoing. That is precisely why the Netherlands cannot hide behind sluggishness and formalities now, but must act.

• A residence permit must be worth something

  Anyone who is granted a valid right to study, conduct research, or work in the Netherlands must also be able to exercise that right. If the Netherlands grants a residence permit but then refuses to provide the minimum consular support necessary to actually reach the country, this undermines legal certainty. Rights on paper are meaningless if the government does not make them enforceable.

• It is a small, manageable group with a big impact

  This concerns a defined group of students, researchers, and employees with a scholarship or contract who can support themselves here. With relatively little effort, the Netherlands can take concrete action—without this becoming an open-ended arrangement. Precisely because it is feasible, doing nothing is all the more distressing.

• It is also in the Netherlands' interest

  Universities, knowledge institutions, and employers lose talent and previous investments if Gazans cannot come. And those who acquire knowledge and skills now can contribute to recovery and reconstruction later. That is not only humanity, but also long-term stability.

  “The failure to recognize the humanity of others is the greatest failure of all.” James Baldwin

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