Trump administration halts medical visas for Gaza patients over ‘security threat’
New York: The Trump administration has paused approvals of visitor visas for individuals from Gaza, blocking a critical channel for patients seeking medical treatment in the United States.
The decision, reported by the International New York Times on Sunday, affects even young children who had recently arrived in the country with serious injuries.
The State Department mentioned that it would assess the process behind those visas. “All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review,” the department said in a statement on the social platform X.
The announcement followed a campaign led by right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who labelled the medical evacuation flights a “national security threat” in a series of posts targeting a nonprofit organisation coordinating the medical evacuations.
“Under the Trump administration, they are actively importing Gazans into the U.S. Clearly, this is not what we voted for,” Loomer said in an interview.
The nonprofit, Ohio-based HEAL Palestine, had earlier described its initiative as the “largest single medical evacuation of injured children from Gaza to the U.S.”
Since launching the effort, the group says it has facilitated treatment for 63 children, including 11 who were flown this month to hospitals in nine American cities. Many of them, aged between 6 and 15, had lost limbs in the ongoing conflict, added the report.
According to HEAL Palestine, once their treatment is complete, the children are expected to travel via Egypt to reunite with their families.
Co-founder Dr Zeena Salman stressed the urgency of the missions, calling them a matter of survival. “These children could not wait. Their lives are at stake, and this mission is about giving them a future,” she said earlier this month.
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Couple, son 'hacked' to death over witchcraft suspicion in Jharkhand's Palamu
Medininagar (PTI): A couple and their 18-year-old son were allegedly hacked to death over suspicion of practising witchcraft in Jharkhand's Palamu, police said on Sunday.
Their minor daughter was also injured in the attack late on Saturday, a police officer said.
The bodies were recovered from their house on Sunday in Panki police station area, he said.
“Initial investigation suggests that the case is related to witchcraft suspicion,” Manoj Kumar Jha, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Lesliganj told PTI.
A manhunt is on to nab the culprits, Jha said.
The girl suffered severe injuries and has been admitted to a government hospital, he said.
The deceased have been identified as Vijay Bhuiyan (45), his wife Kalia Devi (40), and their son Chotu Bhuiyan.
The bodies have been sent to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) for post-mortem examination.
