• Batool Ayman Abdul Hadi Abu Shaban is a Palestinian student and she is a part of medical students from Palestine currently studying in Pakistan on scholarships. She intends to continue her medical practice in Gaza to help those in need.

• Batool is an embodiment of commitment and perseverance amid growing calls of evacuation of indigenous Palestinians from Gaza.

I will complete studies and return to rebuild Gaza: Batool Ayman states while speaking to The National Frontier. She also expresses gratitude for Pakistan’s support in providing educational opportunities to the Palestinian students. Batool speaks on various challenges for the people of Gaza, how important this scholarship is for these students and shares some of her interesting plans.

Batool Ayman Abdul Hadi Abu Shaban was living a comfortable life in her hometown in Gaza until October 7, 2023. As the Palestine Israel conflict began, her life also stumbled. On October 7, 2023, she was supposed to attend to a medical surgery with Dr. Elias Janartian at the Kuts Hospital in Talilhawab. However, the war began at 06:30 AM. She did go to the hospital. Yet, the education could not last for more than few days. The reason was increasing escalation between Hamas and Israel.

At that point, the family had to evacuate; first to the South of Gaza and later to Egypt. She reached Pakistan on 17 October 2024 as part of a group of Palestinian students on scholarship to complete their medical education. As she answers several questions, we bring her words in the following:

The National Frontier: How was your experience of coming to Pakistan?

Batool Ayman Abdul Hadi Abu Shaban: It was an amazing experience and my parents allowed me to come here because it’s a brotherly Islamic country. I feel like I am in my own home. There is a spiritual, social, cultural and religious connection between our people. And, I feel very safe here. Of course, the overall environment is very different. We are not as stressful as we were in Gaza because it is a free, independent country. I wish everyone could understand what breathing in free air is, especially when I recall how we are constantly under threat of occupying Israeli forces. I must say it was a wonderful experience. And, I am very thankful to Pakistan for this great help. We could not imagine completing our studies without this scholarship. And, I believe this scholarship is a direct gift of Pakistani people to the people of Gaza.

TNF: What are your plans for future once you complete your studies in Pakistan?

Batool Ayman: Of course, returning to Gaza and helping my people. I look forward to reach back to my home from the very moment I left it. In a similar interview, I brought my personal Holy Quran with me which I was carrying when I was leaving home. I look forward to putting it at the same place in my home.

As I complete training here and I am fully equipped to help my people, I’m planning to return back to Gaza and work there. I look forward to assist my country fellows in their health needs. Let me add that I have taken several diplomas in psychological issues and mental health as well. I hope to help my people back home on my return. Moreover, I hope to treat patients in my area, maybe I will teach in universities and any other means to serve the humanity. I look forward to live a peaceful life with my family in my home near Al Abbas mosque in Gaza. Plus, I really hope to welcome my Pakistani friends in Gaza one day.

TNF: Was education different from Gaza and was it difficult in Pakistan or Gaza?

Batool Ayman: Frankly, there is no shelling, no war, and no enemy at doorstep all the time here. Alhamdulilah! So, the environment is much better here. Yet, I find that it is also lenient culture. Probably, it is because of war my university in Gaza is very strict with the students. Plus, the overall education at the Federal Medical College is also an amazing experience for us. The teachers, doctors, technicians and everyone is very helpful.

TNF: What is G-Hope of Gaza Hope?

Batool Ayman: G-Hope of Gaza Hope is a network of NGOs that support Palestinian students to study in Pakistan on scholarships. At present, there are 145 Palestinian students in three universities in Islamabad Capital Territory in our batch. They attend Foundation University, Rawalpindi Medical College and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.  Moreover, there are 27 students of dentistry studying dental practices in Lahore.

It is one of the greatest forms of support for the people of Gaza because we cannot get training for our doctors easily. Through, G-Hope, we are actually training hundreds of doctors to learn, practice and return to Palestine to help their fellow countrymen. Yet, I will request that Pakistan should increase this support for us. There are hundreds of thousands of patients in Gaza and we need well training and equipped doctors to treat them.

TNF: How do you plan to return back and rebuild your life, your area and your hospitals?

Batool Ayman: Well, I stand with a dream, a vision, and a commitment. A dream to rebuild, to restore, and to revitalize the special surgery building in Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza. A vision to create a state-of-the-art medical facility that provides hope, healing, and dignity to our people. And a commitment to work tirelessly, to persevere, and to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

As medical professionals, we have a sacred responsibility to provide the best possible care to our patients. But we cannot do it alone. We need a facility that is equipped, staffed, and empowered to meet the growing needs of our community.

The special surgery building in Al Shifa Hospital is more than just a physical structure – it is a symbol of hope, resilience, and determination. It is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Palestinian people, who despite the odds, continue to strive for excellence, for justice, and for peace.

As we work to rebuild and restore this building, we are not just constructing walls and installing equipment – we are rebuilding lives, restoring dignity, and rekindling hope.

We are rebuilding the lives of patients who have been waiting for surgery, for treatment, and for care. We are restoring the dignity of families who have been torn apart by conflict, by poverty, and by displacement. And we are rekindling the hope of a brighter future, a future where every Palestinian has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their background, their income, or their location.

So let us work together, let us strive together, and let us rebuild together. Let us create a special surgery building that is a beacon of hope, a symbol of resilience, and a testament to the power of the human spirit.

We can do it, we must do it, and we will do it – for the sake of our patients, for the sake of our community, and for the sake of our future.

Note: This interview was edited for the purposes of clarity. 

Watch her Interview on Frontier Media: Batool Ayman Plans to Return to Palestine!