Twin sisters set to attend University of Waterloo for PhD program killed by airstrike in Gaza

Twin sisters set to attend University of Waterloo to complete their PhDs have died in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

Dalia Ghazi Ibaid and Sally Ghazi Ibaid were planning to come to Waterloo to do their PhDs in System Design Engineering. They were both recipients of UWaterloo’s Student Relief Fellowship.

“Dalia and Sally were selected based on their outstanding academic achievement and demonstrated research potential,” read UWaterloo’s statement.

They were both killed in an airstrike on Dec. 5.

Their parents sent a statement, saying the twins had been “vibrant, bubbly, excited and full of dreams and ambitions,” in the days leading up to their deaths.

“They constantly talked about their PhD study, jokingly calling each other Dr. Sally and Dr. Dalia, and talking about the things they want to do in Canada,” read their parents’ statement.

“Through your help, they saw an end to their and our suffering. You gave them and us hope. Unfortunately, they did not get their opportunity to realize their dreams. Thank you for caring about and helping our daughters.”

UWaterloo is reminding students if they need help to reach out to the community on campus and the supports available.

No details about where the twin sisters were when they were killed has been released.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas and other militants from Gaza stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking well over 200 hostage.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed almost 45,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, but it says over half of the dead have been women and children.

With files from The Associated Press