Determined students were celebrating yesterday after securing thousands of pounds to help a bright Palestinian escape Israel’s siege on Gaza and take up a scholarship at Sheffield University. 

The University’s Palestine Society smashed through its £8,000 target — after just five days of fundraising. 

The fundraisers’ efforts mean a student from Gaza, where universities have been damaged by Israeli bombardments, can study for master’s degree in Sheffield. 

Cash raised will pay for the student’s living costs, accommodation and travel, while uni bosses have agreed not to charge tuition fees. 

Society spokesman Abdullah Geelah told the Star: “We didn’t expect this response at all. 

“We thought we would raise the money but that it would take until the end of August.”

Students had originally hoped to raise £5,000 to pay for the students’s living costs during their time in Sheffield. 

But they raised the bar after 47 donations had poured in by Tuesday amid Israel’s invasion of Gaza that has so far claimed the lives of 1,460 civilians. 

One individual — who asked to remain anonymous — even donated a whopping £3,000. 

Mr Geelah said shock on campus at the Israeli onslaught on the people of Gaza is behind the incredible surge. 

“The feeling of the students I’ve spoken to is that, like anyone with humanity, they’re appalled but don’t know what to do about it. 

“So there was a fantastic response when they saw a chance to help Palestinian people. Even if it’s just one.”

Applicants have been whittled down to two top undergraduate students from the Islamic University of Gaza.

A panel of Palestinian academics in Britain will decide who will be awarded the scholarship. 

They will become the second student from Gaza to enroll in Sheffield after student campaigning won the masters scholarship in 2012. 

Malaka Mohammed was the first student to take up the opportunity. 

She is now serving as students’ union education officer after a storming election victory — finishing more than 1,000 votes ahead of her closest rival.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign chairman Hugh Lanning said: “Every day Palestinians are denied the rights that we take for granted. At a time when Gaza is under attack and educational establishments are being bombed, one of the things that is often forgotten is that young people are denied their fundamental right to education.

“Raising these funds to enable a scholarship from Gaza is an incredible gesture from students in Sheffield. I urge the university authorities to honour their solidarity by ensuring that the student from Gaza is able to take up a place in Sheffield University with their support.”

And the students are going to press the university to create a new scholarship for students from the West Bank.