By Jasper Ward

Palestinians walk as smoke rises in the distance, following an Israeli strike, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Council on American-Islamic Relations condemns the move as ‘intentional cruelty’

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department on Saturday said it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts “a full and thorough” review, a move that has been condemned by pro-Palestine groups.

The department said “a small number” of temporary medical-humanitarian visas had been issued in recent days but did not provide a figure.

The U.S. issued more than 3,800 B1/B2 visitor visas, which permit foreigners to seek medical treatment in the United States, to holders of the Palestinian Authority travel document so far in 2025, according to an analysis of monthly figures provided on the department’s website. That figure includes 640 visas issued in May.

The PA issues such travel documents to residents of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The department’s website did not include a breakdown for the two territories.

The State Department’s move to stop visitor visas for people from Gaza comes after Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and an ally of President Donald Trump, said on social media on Friday that the Palestinian “refugees” had entered the U.S. this month.

Loomer’s statement sparked outrage among some Republicans, with U.S. Representative Chip Roy, of Texas, saying he would inquire about the matter and Representative Randy Fine, of Florida, describing it as a “national security risk”.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the move, saying it was the latest sign of the “intentional cruelty” of the Trump administration.

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund said the decision to halt visas would deny access to medical care to wounded and sick children in Gaza .

“This policy will have a devastating and irreversible impact on our ability to bring injured and critically ill children from Gaza to the United States for lifesaving medical treatment—a mission that has defined our work for more than 30 years,” it said in a statement.

Gaza has been devastated by a war that was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

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