WASHINGTON – August 18, 2025 — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday the U.S. has suspended visitor visas for people from Gaza, claiming “evidence” that some groups helping facilitate the process had links to Hamas, though no details were provided.
The suspension halts a humanitarian program that has issued nearly 4,000 visas, including to dozens of injured Palestinian children brought to the U.S. for treatment. HEAL Palestine, the nonprofit leading the effort, condemned the move, stressing, “this is a medical program, not refugee resettlement.”
President Donald Trump, while backing the pause, recently acknowledged the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying there is “real starvation” and signaling the U.S. will become “more involved.”