Gazan Visas Suspended After Social Media Critic Challenges Medical Arrivals

U.S. Halts Visitor Visas for Gaza Nationals Amid Concerns

A day after a conservative activist shared videos on social media showing children from Gaza arriving in the United States for medical treatment, the State Department announced it would suspend all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it investigates how a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas were issued recently.

The decision came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the pause was in response to inquiries from multiple congressional offices regarding the visa process. He emphasized that only a limited number of these visas had been granted to children requiring medical care, and they were accompanied by adults. According to Rubio, some organizations involved in securing these visas have ties to groups like Hamas, although he did not provide specific evidence or name the organizations.

Rubio said the suspension would allow the department to reevaluate the vetting process for these visas and assess any potential connections between the organizations and the visa acquisition process.

Laura Loomer, a prominent conservative activist, shared videos on X (formerly Twitter) depicting children from Gaza arriving in San Francisco and Houston for medical treatment. She highlighted that despite the U.S. policy under the Trump administration of not accepting Palestinian refugees, these individuals were able to travel to the country. Loomer described the situation as a "national security threat" and called for those responsible for approving the visas to be held accountable. She tagged several political figures, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

While Trump has downplayed Loomer's influence, several officials have distanced themselves from her after she criticized them publicly. The State Department, however, declined to comment on the number of visas issued or whether Loomer’s posts influenced the decision to halt the visas.

HEAL Palestine, the organization assisting the children, expressed concern over the State Department’s action. In a statement, the group described itself as an American humanitarian nonprofit delivering urgent aid and medical care to children in Palestine. It clarified that its program is focused on medical treatment, not refugee resettlement. The organization mentioned that it brings severely injured children to the U.S. on temporary visas for treatment and that they return to the Middle East after receiving care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly urged for more medical evacuations from Gaza, where Israel's 22-month conflict with Hamas has devastated the health system. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that over 14,800 patients still require lifesaving medical care unavailable in Gaza and called for increased international support.

According to a WHO description of the evacuation process, the organization submits patient lists to Israeli authorities for security clearance. Before the war, up to 100 patients left Gaza daily for medical treatment. The WHO has since advocated for higher approval rates from Israeli authorities.

The United Nations and its partners have reported that medicines and basic healthcare supplies are in short supply in Gaza after Israel cut off all aid to the territory for over 10 weeks earlier this year. Tedros added, “Ceasefire! Peace is the best medicine.”