Israel Gaza conflict

Information and support for those affected by the Israel Gaza conflict.

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The continuing events in Israel and Gaza are deeply troubling, and this concern is being felt across the world, including here at Sheffield. Our thoughts are with those affected by the conflict, and we are supporting our community however we can.

If you have any questions about this page or feel that any information is missing, please contact studentcommunications@sheffield.ac.uk (students) or internalcommunications@sheffield.ac.uk (staff).

Government travel advice and University contacts for those in the regions affected

The gov.uk foreign travel advice is being updated regularly for Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Please follow the latest advice.

If you are a University of Sheffield student and you are currently in the region, please reach out to the University for support should you need to. Email: support@sheffield.ac.uk

If you are a member of staff and are currently in the region, please contact your line manager or head of department.

University support for students

Please find below the main sources of support available to you as a student at the University. We encourage you to seek support from whichever service or services you feel are most appropriate. 

If you have any practical concerns or questions, you can contact our Student Welfare team by emailing support@sheffield.ac.uk.

If the conflict is having an impact on your ability to engage with your studies, please reach out to your academic department who can advise and support you.

For welfare, wellbeing and mental health support, the following services are available to you:

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University support for staff

Please find below the main sources of support available to you as a member of staff at the University. 

For general advice and to talk through the support options available, please speak to your line manager.  

You can also contact our HR teams* who are available to speak with you about any concerns you may have. 

You may also want to explore the wellbeing resources* on the Staff Hub. These include our new Alliance Psychological Services One Plus Service. A One Plus session will support you to consider an issue that you’re currently personally dealing with and the actions you could take to increase control and to work towards an effective solution. The intention is to enable access to support in one session and have a clear action plan thereafter.

In addition, The Belief, No Belief and Religious (BNBR) Life Centre is available to staff and provides a listening ear and pastoral support to all people whatever their identity, religion, belief or no belief.

For colleagues with line management responsibilities, please offer support to colleagues who may be affected. As well as the wellbeing resources* on the Staff Hub, you might find it helpful to refer to the looking after the wellbeing of others section on our supporting staff in times of change page*, also on the Staff Hub. There is also some general advice on wellbeing support in response to conflict, crisis or natural disaster.

If you are not sure which service to access or to refer others to, please contact staffwellbeing@sheffield.ac.uk for advice and guidance.

*staff login required

Guidance for staff supporting students

If you are a member of staff who is supporting students with concerns associated with the conflict, you may find it helpful to talk through the support options listed in the University support for students section above. The Support Hub tool is also available to help you direct students to different services depending upon their specific needs.

In addition, it may be helpful to look at our how to Help web pages on the Staff Hub*, which are designed to support and empower you to make effective and informed decisions when interacting with students in distress.

*staff login required

Behavioural expectations and guidance for student protests

Our University is inclusive and welcoming, and everyone should feel safe on campus. The University expects and urges all members of our community to treat each other with respect, empathy, and understanding.

Please refer to our Student Code of Conduct for our agreed behavioural expectations. 

We recognise there are strong views within our community regarding what is happening in Israel and Gaza. We fully support freedom of speech within the law, and the right to protest

However, we do not tolerate any form of discrimination, including any incidents of racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. 

Please also remember that in the UK, Hamas is a proscribed organisation, which means it is a criminal offence to support them.

For advice on protests or demonstrations, please refer to the University’s guidance for student protests. The guidance outlines some dos and don’ts around student protests to help to ensure that student protests can be best supported to be delivered safely for all members of the University community and the general public, and reduce the likelihood of protesters breaching University regulations and becoming subject to disciplinary action.

We are working closely with the Students’ Union. You might want to refer to the SU Statement on the conflict in Israel and Gaza which was issued to all student societies, setting out expected standards of behaviour within our community. 

Reporting routes

If you experience or witness any form of discrimination, you can report it through our dedicated Report and Support platform. This is available to both staff and students. You have the option to report anonymously or using your name. 

You can use the University’s free Safe Zone app, available to staff and students, to alert University Security Services via your mobile phone if you ever need emergency, first aid or non-urgent help while on campus or in our residences.  

If you have any security concerns on campus or in the residences, call 0114 222 4444 in emergencies or 0114 222 4085 in non-emergencies. You can also email security@sheffield.ac.uk in non-emergency situations.