
US stops visitor visas for people from Gaza
The department said a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas had been issued in recent days, but did not provide a figure.
The US issued more than 3800 B1/B2 visitor visas, which permit foreigners to seek medical treatment in the United States, to holders of the Palestinian Authority travel document, according to an analysis of monthly figures provided on the department's website.
That figure includes 640 visas issued in May.
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 US this month.
Loomer's statement sparked outrage among some Republicans, with Randy Fine describing it as a "national security risk".
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 1200 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.
The US has not indicated that it would accept Palestinians displaced by the war.
However, sources told Reuters that South Sudan and Israel are discussing a plan to resettle Palestinians.
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