US halts Gaza visas used in medical trips

The State Department pauses Gaza medical travel visas after criticism by a right wing activist.

US halts Gaza visas used in medical trips

The State Department has paused processing Gaza visitor visas used for medical travel. The move followed posts by Laura Loomer on X criticizing the program and urging a shutdown. Loomer later claimed credit for the halt and thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the temporary pause. The Palestinian Children's Relief Fund says it evacuated 169 Gaza children in 2024 for treatment abroad, showing how medical trips continue even as conflict rages. Gaza's health system has been battered for two and a half years, with damaged hospitals and growing food shortages amid an Israeli blockade that aid groups say blocks deliveries. UN backed food security groups and journalists warn of famine conditions in Gaza, and major outlets have warned of the risk to journalists on the ground.

The BBC and others have noted journalists are now among the vulnerable on the ground in Gaza as conditions deteriorate, amid a broader debate over how aid should be delivered and who controls it.

The policy shift reveals how domestic political pressures can shape humanitarian tools. By tying travel permissions to political currents, Washington signals that aid and access may be contingent on perceived security gains. For patients, the pause could mean delays or loss of access to essential care. Aid groups warn the move complicates relief work at a moment when Gaza relies on medical sentences of mercy and aid corridors are already strained. Critics question whether security concerns justify restricting civilians in need and whether the move will deliver real protections or undermine trust with international partners. The decision also tests US diplomacy in a volatile region where allies and rivals watch closely.

Highlights

Policy choices ahead will test how care and security can coexist.