17 Aug 2025, 01:00
The USA has suspended visas for people from Gaza
- The U.S. State Department has suspended visas for travelers from Gaza.
- The decision was prompted by concerns from civil rights activists.
- More than 61,000 Palestinians have died as a result of the conflict.
This is reported by NBC News, Asharq Al-Awsat.
/ By: Reuters
The U.S. State Department announced on August 16 the suspension of all visas for travelers from Gaza during the "full and retaliatory" review. This decision has sparked outrage among pro-Palestinian groups.
The department stated that in recent days, a "small number" of temporary medical humanitarian visas had been issued, but did not provide specific figures.
In 2025, the USA issued more than 3,800 B1/B2 visas, which allow recipients to obtain medical assistance in the USA, for individuals who have documentation for travel from the Palestinian administration. In April, 640 visas were issued.
The decision to suspend visas for people from Gaza came as a result of a statement by Laurie Lumere, a civil rights activist, who is an associate of former President Donald Trump. She asserted on social media that Palestinian "refugees" have already entered the USA.
This statement has sparked outrage in several Republican circles, including Congress representative Chip Roy, who expressed concern about the situation, and representative Randy Fine, who called it a "national threat."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned this decision, citing a "deliberate cruelty" of the Trump administration.
The fund for helping Palestinian children emphasized that the visa suspension deprives access to medical assistance for sick and injured children in Gaza.
"This policy has a devastating and irreversible impact on our ability to provide care for sick and critically ill children from Gaza to the USA for lifesaving treatment, which highlights our work for more than 30 years," the statement reads.
Since the beginning of the war on July 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group HAMAS began its attack on Israel, more than 61,000 Palestinians have died, according to local medical services. In response, Israel has launched an offensive against HAMAS in Gaza, which has resulted in significant civilian casualties.
The USA has not yet indicated whether to accept Palestinians who have become refugees due to the war. However, according to Reuters, Sudan and Israel are discussing plans to resettle Palestinians.
Tags: USA/Middle East/Politics