Vigil held for former Glasgow University student who was killed in Gaza

Students gathered at UofG to pay their respects

12 months ago

Ilana Booth | News

A vigil was held for former Glasgow University student Dima Almaj, killed in Gaza this month.

Dima was killed in Gaza on the 21st of November following her evacuation to the city. Her husband, their 6-month-old child and her two brothers were all sheltering at her parent’s home when the property was bombed.

Students, staff and the wider community gathered in her memory to pay their respects on November 27th, Daily Record reports.

This follows the university’s peace vigil for Israel and Palestine, which took place last month.

Image via Facebook

Dima had worked for the World Health Organisation as a patient administrator within the WHO trauma and emergency team since 2019. Posting on X, the WHO general director Tedros Abhanom Ghebreyesus, said: ”My colleagues and I are devastated: we have lost one of our own in Gaza today.”

He went on to say: “I have no words to describe our grief,” before he added: “the horror must end…ceasefire NOW.”

UofG principal Professor Anton Muscatelli also spoke out regarding Dima’s death. He said: “This is one utterly tragic news story in the midst of thousands of similar stories of grief and despair”.

He echoed the WHO statement, adding: “We share their grieving for one of our own”.

Former president of the Glasgow University Palestine Society, Steven Mccallum, wrote on Instagram:

”Tonight, students and staff at Glasgow University commemorated Dima’s life, as well as the tens of thousands of those who have been martyred, as well as the millions who are fighting for survival in the occupied Gaza strip.”