US suspends tourist visas for people from Gaza

The US State Department has just announced the suspension of issuing tourist visas to people from the Gaza Strip due to concerns that some organizations assisting with visa procedures have 'close ties to Hamas'.

Palestinians walk along a street near war-damaged buildings in Gaza City on August 8 - Photo: AFP

According to CNN on August 18, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US State Department has suspended issuing tourist visas to people from the Gaza Strip - including children in need of urgent medical care - amid concerns that some organizations supporting visa procedures to the US have "close ties to terrorist groups such as Hamas".

The decision was made after the Trump administration received “evidence” from multiple congressional offices, but did not provide details about the evidence or the organizations involved.

Mr. Rubio affirmed that the US will temporarily suspend this program to re-evaluate the visa review process. He also emphasized that “we do not cooperate with groups that are affiliated or sympathetic to Hamas.”

CNN has reached out to the US State Department for more information about the “evidence” Mr. Rubio mentioned, but has not received a response.

In response to this move, some far-right figures such as Ms. Laura Loomer announced that they welcomed the decision of the Trump administration, saying that accepting families from Gaza "threatens US national security".

In particular, she also criticized HEAL Palestine - an American non-profit organization that provides medical assistance to Palestinian families - for sending many children with serious injuries, psychological trauma and malnutrition to the US for treatment.

However, HEAL Palestine disagrees with this decision of the US government. According to this organization, they have brought 63 injured children and a total of 148 people to the US for treatment, and all Palestinian patients have returned to the Middle East after treatment.

“This is a medical treatment program, not a refugee resettlement program,” the organization asserted.

According to ABC News, HEAL Palestine said many children suffering from serious injuries - such as amputations, severe burns and related complications - are forced to seek treatment in the US because "the health system in Gaza is collapsing and no longer able to treat them".

According to figures as of May, the US has issued nearly 4,000 visas to Palestinian Authority passport holders, many of whom came to the US for medical treatment.

President Trump also recently acknowledged that there is “real famine” in Gaza, expressing disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I see it, and I can’t pretend. So we’re going to be much more involved,” Trump told reporters about the humanitarian crisis.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/my-tam-dung-cap-visa-du-lich-cho-nguoi-tu-gaza-2025081810011564.htm