APRIL 2026 MSJP HUNGER STRIKE: 

Ten medical students from Medical Students for Justice in Palestine (MSJP) have launched a hunger strike to raise the final $30,000 for the LET GAZA HEAL campaign. Due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, we are expanding our campaign to medical students in Gaza in addition to those displaced to other countries. In Gaza, around 3,000 medical students are working toward completing their medical degrees and need financial support for transportation, tents, electronics, and food. All of the funds raised will go directly to medical students to help cover these expenses as well as to students displaced outside Gaza. 

We will not eat until the remaining $30,000 is raised. Help to end the hunger strike and support Gazan medical students by donating to the campaign. 

UPDATE: In just 38 hours, we met our goal for the hunger strike!!!! However, there is still a lot more to be done. All additional donations we continue to receive will be used to support Gazan medical students. We will be able to reach 200 medical students with these funds, but there are still thousands more students who need financial support!!! Thank you to each person in our community who has supported us, let us continue to come together to support all of our medical community.

UPDATE #2: 

First, thank you so much to every single person who supported us during this hunger strike.  This would not have been possible without the support of our community all across the United States. Since the strike, we have been able to disburse funds to 16 Gazan medical students displaced in Turkey, 21 students in Pakistan, and one student in Egypt. In partnership with the Union for Gazan Medical Students (UGMSI), 170 students have been selected for living stipends amongst more than 600 applicants, all of whom are currently enrolled in medical school in Gaza. Students were selected based on a number of criteria to assess need, financial hardship, and their social circumstances. Students were prioritized if they do not have university scholarship, have lost their providing family member or have dependents, are displaced and living in tents, or no longer have a income source. 

We will continue to leave the Let Gaza Heal campaign open for future contributions. All donations will continue to go toward supporting Gazan medical students, as students who were not selected for this round of funding are on currently a waitlist. We hope we can continue to support these students today that they can heal Gaza tomorrow.

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Why was the LGH campaign started? 

Israel has bombed both medical schools in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of medical students. Many of these students have evacuated Gaza, and are now striving to continue their studies abroad. Unfortunately, many have lost their homes, their families, and their livelihoods, permanently disrupting their access to financial support. In response, we are raising $40,000 to provide living stipends for as many as 200 Gazan medical students. 

Who are we? 

PEF is a chapter of MSJP at the University of Michigan Medical school who are dedicated to supporting Palestinian students through the power of education. We have connected with Gazan Medical students, primarily through the Union of Gazan Medical Students Initiative, to find ways to support our colleagues. In addition to raising funds to provide living stipends, we are also providing study resources so that medical students who are both in Gaza and who have evacuated are able to continue their studies. 

Why contribute?

Your contributions are an investment in the health and self-determination of Palestinians, as these stipends will allow the future doctors of Gaza to focus on their studies today, so they can heal Gaza tomorrow. Since October 7th, Gaza has lost 727 healthcare workers, of which at least 55 were specialist physicians. That is nearly 4% of all Gazan specialists. For smaller specialties, such as nephrology, this means the loss of an entire field. This makes retaining and supporting the current and future doctors of Gaza a vital effort. 

How will the money be distributed?

We will work directly with members of the Union of Gazan Medical Students Initiative to safely transfer 100% of donations directly to Gazan medical students outside of the Gaza Strip. 

Help us create doctors, not bombs. Supporting these students is not just about immediate relief – it's an investment in the future healthcare workforce of Gaza.

Learn more through our instagram campaign

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UPDATE: January 13, 2026:

Last year, the Palestinian Empowerment Foundation (PEF), in partnership with Union of Gazan Medical Student Initiative (UGMSI), an organization run by Gazan medical students, launched the humanitarian fundraising campaign LET GAZA HEAL. This campaign aims to provide financial aid to medical students who are stranded outside Gaza. 

Since our launch, UGMSI has distributed $10,000 to 100 medical students, each student receiving $100. With students spending between $100 and $200 a month, this financial support has helped ease the financial burden they face. 

To connect with displaced medical students, this campaign builds on UGMSI’s existing educational Telegram channel. This channel provides essential USMLE preparation resources and access to a network of over 200 students from Gaza. 

Together, PEF and UGMSI remain dedicated to empowering Gaza’s medical students, both academically and professionally, despite ongoing challenges. To continue this work, we still need to raise $30,000. These funds will support medical students who have not received a stipend, and to continue to support to those who have. 

Thank you to all who have supported. Please continue to donate and share enable the future doctors of Gaza focus on their studies today, so that they can heal Gaza tomorrow.

In solidarity,

PEF