Dutch University Suspends Gaza Student Over 'October 7th Is Me' Video

Maastricht University in the Netherlands has suspended a 22-year-old student from Gaza following the circulation of a video on social media. In the clip, the student appears to identify with masked individuals in a report about the October 7th massacre, stating, "October 7th. It is me." The university cited concerns for the safety of students and staff as the reason for the suspension, noting the video could incite unrest. The student's academic future will be reviewed during this period.

The university stated it is not authorized to investigate the video's circumstances or its author. While the student expressed remorse and no intention to cause trouble, local police deemed it premature to open a criminal investigation, as no offense had been committed under Dutch law without a formal complaint.

The university is still considering whether to file a complaint. Meanwhile, Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom (PVV), criticized the suspension as too lenient, calling for the student's expulsion and accusing the Education Minister of facilitating his presence. The student's identity has not been released, and his field of study is unknown. Reports indicate the university had requested a temporary residence permit for him in April, which was approved.

According to De Telegraaf, the student has a significant social media following, where he shares daily life updates and content that has been described as alluding to jihadism. He had previously posted about the "martyrdom" of his brother, Ahmed, who was killed in Jabaliya.