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US suspends humanitarian visas for Palestinians from Gaza
The United States has announced the suspension of humanitarian and medical visas for Palestinians from Gaza, citing the need for a review of current procedures. The decision, made public on Saturday by the State Department under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, comes amid growing pressure from far-right circles close to former president Donald Trump.
According to the official statement, “all visitor visas for individuals coming from Gaza are suspended while we conduct a thorough review of the process and procedures that were used in recent days to grant a small number of temporary humanitarian and medical visas.”
The move followed a campaign led by Laura Loomer, a controversial far-right influencer known for conspiracy theories and inflammatory rhetoric. She accused Palestinian organizations of having ties with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood and denounced the humanitarian visa program as a security risk. On social media, Loomer went as far as claiming that “Qatar is helping to flood the United States with jihadists,” calling for dismissals within the State Department.
The decision has been strongly criticized by humanitarian organizations. The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), which has facilitated the evacuation of thousands of Palestinian children to receive medical treatment abroad, urged the Biden administration to reverse what it described as a “dangerous and inhumane” policy. “Medical evacuations are a lifeline for children in Gaza, whose access to healthcare has collapsed due to the war,” the NGO said in a statement.
This suspension highlights once again the influence of far-right voices on US foreign policy decisions regarding the Middle East, raising concern among aid groups about the politicization of humanitarian action.