2025 PathMakers to Peace Recipient: Mahmoud Khalil

Mahmoud Khalil is a Palestinian graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He has previously worked in development and international affairs with the United Nations, the British government, as well as other non-profit organizations in the Middle East.

Khalil played a key role in Columbia’s student movement opposing Israel’s war on Gaza. In March 2025, the Trump administration unlawfully arrested Khalil, transported him thousands of miles away to an ICE detention center in Louisiana, and attempted to deport him — all in retaliation for his advocacy in support of Palestinian rights. After 104 days in detention, a federal court ordered his release.