Dr. Alrayyes graduated from King’s College London in 2020 with an MSc in Women and Children’s Health from the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine. He was also a Chevening scholar. On 5th November 2023, he was killed by an Israeli airstrike at his home, with most of his family including his father, uncle, nephews and nieces. His body has not yet been found under the rubble, and his two brothers were also killed whilst trying to recover his body.   

Dr. Adnan Al Bursh was a King’s Fellow who worked in King’s College Hospital in 2013. On 2nd May 2024, he died in an Israeli prison after being abducted and tortured for four to five months.  

UN experts deeply concerned over ‘scholasticide’ in Gaza OHCHR  

As members of the King’s community, we recognise and honour their memory and contributions to the University. On Saturday 28th September 2024, King’s College London announced the Dr. Alrayyes scholarship, for Palestinian postgraduate students studying a Health or Health Science subject. You can find out more about the scholarship here.   

We greatly welcome this scholarship, which is the result of negotiations led by students, including the Medical Students Association, the broader student movement, and the encampment who exercised their right to protest for 68 days. Students have been protesting against the genocide in Gaza, a description determined as plausible by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).  

We are deeply concerned about the devastating suffering and deaths of thousands of Palestinians and, as stated by the ICJ, the ongoing illegal occupation of Gaza. Moreover, the UN has stated that ‘with more than 80% of schools in Gaza damaged or destroyed, it may be reasonable to ask if there is an intentional effort to comprehensively destroy the Palestinian education system, an action known as ‘scholasticide’’. We strongly condemn the breaches of international law, and support the numerous statements and pleas made by the international community and leaders worldwide, to stop the killing of innocent men women and children, at the recent 79th UN General Assembly.   

As your KCLSU Officers, we have been engaging in conversations with students and the University, including working on a range of initiatives. We are participating in the "Supporting Students and HE in Gaza" Working Group, where there was an agreement King’s will provide educational material online to students studying in Gaza and are continuing to engage with the University and UCU regarding future provisions.   

As KCLSU Officers, we are also part of the Russell Group Students’ Union’s Responsible Investments Priority Group, and have attended ethical investment training with Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS).   

KCLSU understands that this is a deeply distressing time for students. If you are feeling affected and need support, please reach out to the following services that the University and we have to offer:   

• Counselling Services   

• Personal tutor   

• KCLSU Advice  

• Chaplaincy Service   

• Faculty Wellbeing Advisors   

You can always reach out to us if you ever need to talk.  

 Kind Regards,   

Your KCLSU Officers 2024-25