United States stops visitor visas for people from Gaza
The US State Department says it is halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts “a full and thorough” review.
The department said a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas had been issued in recent days, but did not provide a figure.
The US issued more than 3800 B1/B2 visitor visas, which permit foreigners to seek medical treatment in the United States, to holders of the Palestinian Authority travel document, according to an analysis of monthly figures provided on the department’s website.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.That figure includes 640 visas issued in May.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the move, saying it was the latest sign of the “intentional cruelty” of the Trump administration.
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund said the decision to halt visas would deny access to medical care to wounded and sick children in Gaza.
“This policy will have a devastating and irreversible impact on our ability to bring injured and critically ill children from Gaza to the United States for lifesaving medical treatment?a mission that has defined our work for more than 30 years,” it said in a statement
The State Department’s move to stop visitor visas for people from Gaza comes after Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and an ally of President Donald Trump, said on social media on Friday that the Palestinian “refugees” had entered the US this month.
Loomer’s statement sparked outrage among some Republicans, with Randy Fine describing it as a “national security risk”.
Gaza has been devastated by a war that was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
The US has not indicated that it would accept Palestinians displaced by the war.
However, sources told Reuters that South Sudan and Israel are discussing a plan to resettle Palestinians.
