France has temporarily stopped its initiative to host Palestinians escaping Gaza due to ongoing investigations into antisemitic statements allegedly made by a Palestinian student studying in France, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. The 25-year-old student had been attending a scholarship program in Lille but is now required to leave the country after her university revoked her enrollment. France has facilitated the evacuation of over 500 people from Gaza since hostilities between Israel and Hamas reignited on October 7, 2023. The student had arrived in France in July with plans to begin courses at Sciences Po Lille in the fall but has since been removed from the program.
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced on social media that he has demanded the closure of the student’s account and legal proceedings to be initiated, asserting that supporters of Hamas have no place in France. Palestinians already in France under this initiative will undergo additional verification following the issues identified with this particular student, added Barrot. He mentioned that prior security screenings conducted by both state authorities and Israeli agencies had failed to uncover the “unacceptable and troubling remarks.” Sciences Po Lille confirmed to AFP that the student’s online comments violated the core values of the university. The student was part of an evacuation program managed by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, noted the director of Sciences Po Lille in a discussion with a French newspaper.
Meanwhile, Aurore Bergé and Benjamin Haddad have denounced Spain’s transport minister’s remarks amidst ongoing diplomatic tensions. In the UK, Home Office data indicates that approximately 24,000 individuals arrived via small boats in 2025. The prime minister faces mounting domestic and international pressure to officially recognize a Palestinian state. Georges Abdallah will be deported to Lebanon immediately after his release, which is scheduled for early Friday.
