Most of the Senate Democratic caucus sought an explanation from Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, on Monday over his recent decision to stop issuing temporary visas for Gazans who need medical care.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), 40 other Senate Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who votes with Democrats, sent a letter to Rubio stating that “during the Biden and current Trump administrations, individuals from Gaza who met specific criteria set by the State Department have been granted temporary medical and humanitarian visas, allowing them to access life-saving medical treatment in the United States.”
The senators urged the secretary of state to “immediately reinstate the issuance of temporary medical and humanitarian visas in order to provide urgently needed life-saving civilian relief,” and to focus “on achieving a lasting end to the conflict in Gaza that ensures security, peace, and prosperity for all in the region.” (JNS sought comment from the U.S. State Department.)
The visas allowed Palestinians in Gaza to come to the United States for medical treatment once vetted to ensure that they did not pose security threats. “These civilians include severely wounded children, who are especially vulnerable and, through no fault of their own, have been caught in the crossfire and forced to endure horrible impacts from the war in Gaza,” the senators wrote.
On Aug. 16, the State Department stated that “all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days.”
The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, part of the Israeli Defense Ministry, stated on Sept. 25 that “contrary to the claims, Israel facilitates, not prevents, medical transfers from Gaza.”
“In recent months, dozens to hundreds of residents each week have exited Gaza for medical treatment abroad,” COGAT said. “Patients have been transferred to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, European Union states and more. Israel has significantly eased the exit process. Today, the vast majority of requests are approved following security review and third-country coordination.”
The Senate Democrats and Sanders wrote that “access to functioning medical facilities in Gaza has grown increasingly limited, and acute shortages of medicines, medical supplies and medical professionals, particularly those with expertise in complex specialties, delays care and exacerbates the suffering of those in need.”
They also questioned the department’s decision to decline to issue non-immigrant visas to Palestinian passport holders. The senators requested an explanation of the policy change and what concerns would need to be addressed before such visas are issued again.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) were among the signatories. The latter two are the top Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, respectively.
