U.S.-based charity HEAL Palestine has condemned the State Department’s decision to suspend visitor visas for Palestinians from Gaza, warning that the move will endanger severely wounded children who rely on temporary U.S. entry for lifesaving medical treatment.
The suspension, announced Saturday, comes as the department reviews its visa policies following claims by far-right activist Laura Loomer that Palestinian refugees were entering the United States. The State Department emphasized the pause was meant to ensure “a full and thorough review.”
HEAL Palestine rejected Loomer’s claims, stressing that no refugee resettlement program exists and that its initiative is strictly humanitarian. “We bring severely injured children to the U.S. on temporary visas for essential medical treatment not available at home. After their treatment is complete, the children and any accompanying family members return to the Middle East,” the charity said. It noted that the program is entirely donor-funded and uses no U.S. government resources.
Official figures show the U.S. issued more than 3,800 B1/B2 visitor visas to holders of Palestinian Authority travel documents in 2025, including 640 in May. The State Department acknowledged that a “small number” of temporary medical-humanitarian visas for Gazans had been granted in recent days but gave no specifics.
Rights groups, including the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, also criticized the suspension, calling it a politically driven decision that punishes civilians already devastated by war.
Loomer told The New York Times she had raised concerns directly with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, describing Palestinians as “Islamic invaders.” Rubio said his office and other lawmakers had flagged alleged extremist ties within the visa process, though he provided no evidence.
The halt comes amid dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where Israel’s ongoing military offensive has killed tens of thousands, displaced most of the population, and pushed the territory into famine-like conditions.
Israel denies accusations of genocide and war crimes, insisting its campaign is self-defense after Hamas’ October 2023 assault on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw about 250 hostages taken.
Humanitarian advocates warn that without access to the U.S. medical visa program, many injured Palestinian children will be left without critical care unavailable in Gaza’s war-shattered health system.
Written By Rodney Mbua
