UK rule change allows some Palestinian scholars to bring families from Gaza

One Palestinian student offered a funded place at the University of Oxford, above, said he had refused to be evacuated from Gaza without his wife and baby. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

Some Palestinian students taking up scholarships at UK universities will be allowed to bring their families with them from Gaza after the government announced it would consider case-by-case exemptions to its evacuation policy.

After lobbying by MPs and supporters, the UK government has said partners and children could be allowed to accompany students on government-backed Chevening scholarships or studying for longer research degrees, such as PhDs.