Leiden University repatriates 5 students from Israel

Leiden University is repatriating five students from Israel, the university's Board of Directors announced on their website. The university has been in contact with these students regarding preparations for their return to the Netherlands. As far as is known, there are no university staff members in the affected area, the board stated.

Flight tickets have been arranged for the five students, but it remains uncertain whether these flights will proceed, according to the university. Several airlines have canceled flights to Israel in the coming days. "If those flights are indeed canceled, we will arrange for new tickets. For now, we have advised them to stay at their current location and follow the guidelines of the local university," the advice read.

The university chose not to disclose the exact location of the students or their specific courses of study. The current state of the students remains undisclosed, and the university prefers not to comment on it, citing privacy concerns, as stated by the spokesperson.

Three students were set to travel to Israel, but they have been asked to postpone their trip, the university reported. The board further noteed that, like many others, they were "horrified by the outbreak of violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip" over the weekend.

On Tuesday, the university will fly flags at half-mast on its buildings. "We do this out of respect for all victims of this conflict," the board said.