A SCOTTISH Government minister has written to the Home Office calling for the creation of a Gaza family visa scheme similar to the arrangements which allowed Ukrainians fleeing war to come to the UK.
Equalities minister Kaukab Stewart said she supports the Gaza Families Reunited campaign, which is calling for an urgent scheme to allow Palestinians to reunite with their loved ones in Britain.
The National has previously reported on the campaign's efforts, with then first minister Humza Yousaf giving his backing in March – then joined by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in September.
Stewart said the Scottish Government is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza amid the “horrific” ongoing war.
In a letter to UK asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle, Stewart said that since May, very few Palestinians have been able to leave Gaza as the Rafah crossing into Egypt is no longer open.
Those who have made it to Egypt are “trapped in limbo” she said, often waiting for months without any state support.
The latest Foreign Office advice is that there are currently no exit routes available for foreign nationals to depart Gaza amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
However the Foreign Office is working with Israeli, Egyptian and Jordanian authorities to explore alternative routes.
In her letter, Stewart said: “The First Minister and I have recently met with representatives of the Gaza Families Reunited campaign. We support their calls for a Gaza family visa scheme, modelled on the Ukraine family visa scheme, to be established and ask you to consider establishing a bespoke scheme to meet this urgent need.
“This would enable Palestinians in Gaza to reunite with their immediate and extended family members in the UK. Far from offering a permanent route to resettlement, this would provide temporary sanctuary until it is safe for people to return.
“Existing routes for Palestinians in Gaza to join their loved ones in the UK are insufficient and failing.
“Members of the campaign report that many Palestinian families – including those who would be eligible under existing routes – have not been able to access Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office assistance in seeking to exit Gaza.
“This has left Palestinians in the UK with no choice other than to pay or crowdfund for the high ‘co-ordination fees’ being charged by an Egyptian travel company to facilitate their loved ones’ exit from Gaza, so that they could enrol biometrics at a visa application centre in Egypt.”
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
