MPS unanimously called on the UK Government to set up a Gaza family visa scheme during a Westminster debate today.

Westminster Hall was packed on Monday afternoon, with MPs from various parties giving impassioned speeches in support of a Ukraine-style scheme so Palestinians can reunite with their families in the UK.

Arguments against or just in support of the current UK Government position were absent throughout, with one MP remarking that in terms of unanimity he had "never seen that before" in a Westminster Hall debate and called on the UK Government to take note of that. 

The debate was sparked by a successful petition run by the Gaza Families Reunited campaign, which The National backed publicly on its way to over 100,000 signatures.

The current path for Palestinians in Gaza to obtain a UK visa is far from simple.

Amid the devastation and risk of death – over 33,000 have been killed so far by Israel according to the Hamas-run health ministry – there is no functioning visa centre.

The Home Office has also repeatedly refused to waive fingerprint rules meaning that many resort, if possible, to making the dangerous and expensive journey over the border to Egypt to the closest UK visa centre in Cairo.

Green MP Caroline Lucas said the current system “simply isn’t working” because the requirement to enrol biometrics at a visa application centre is “simply impossible to meet.”

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“The one in Gaza is closed. You can’t get to Ramallah or Jerusalem. In effect, people are caught in this really sickening Orwellian Catch-22 where they cannot enrol their biometrics because they cannot leave Gaza, and they can’t leave Gaza because they can’t enrol their biometrics.”

Labour MP Cat Smith, who opened the debate, said that displaced people face a “grim lottery” for asylum support from the UK Government.

She added: “For those who are unable to get out of Gaza and into Egypt, their future’s uncertain. Palestinians have no status in Egypt, so students, teachers, small business owners etc are left in limbo, out of immediate danger but unable to start rebuilding their lives.

“It seems clear to me that events in recent years in Ukraine, Gaza, Afghanistan and beyond mean that as a country, we need to look again at how we support and protect those fleeing conflict. At present, there appears to be a grim lottery when it comes to who we are prepared to do everything we can to help.”

Anne McLaughlin, meanwhile, said she has met several constituents who have family members trapped in Gaza as well as members of the Gaza Families Reunited campaign in Westminster (below).

The National:

The SNP MP took aim at the UK Government’s official response to the petition, which said: “There are no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region. Those wishing to come to the UK who currently have no visa can apply under one of the existing visa routes.”

“I find the response to this petition quite insulting,” she said.

“The majority of people I speak to are stunned into silence when they discover that we’re not helping people escape Gaza.”

McLaughlin also brought up the story of Roba – who is part of the Gaza Families Reunited campaign.

She used a fundraiser to cover the costs for her family to travel but they have not even yet managed to join her in the UK.

She previously told The National that it was a “shame” that people are having to resort to fundraisers rather than an established route.

“It reflects the UK ideology of not caring about Palestinian life. They see us as worthless rather than people who should be protected and saved.

“I feel it reflects this racism in the political structure.”

In the debate's closing remarks, SNP MP Alison Thewliss said the UK Government has "not done anything practical" to respond to concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and that it was "cruelty beyond measure" to not consider this scheme. 

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She then asked: "If it was good enough for people in Ukraine to get that biometric requirement waiver, why is it not good enough for the people of Gaza?"

"It's not going to be difficult for the minister to create such a scheme. It was done for the people of Ukraine, much more swiftly than this," Thewliss added. 

"He is out of excuses. He needs to give the Gazan people some certainty they can come to the Uk in safety. Otherwise, we will all know this government does not care and it's prepared to ignore the people of Gaza. It is despicable."

Immigration minister Tom Pursglove responded to the debate by refusing to commit to setting up a family visa reunion scheme for Palestinians and instead keeping it "under review". 

He said that there is also a need for biometric checks to "protect people here in the United Kingdom". 

"The security relationship with the Ukrainian authorities is a very different relationship to that which we have with the authorities in Gaza, who are a terrorist organisation," he said. 

"We have a duty to uphold national security as a government and guard against public safety risks."

Monday’s debate had no vote, but is a chance for MPs to share their own and their constituents’ views on the issue and can eventually be considered for a vote. 

A Gaza Families Reunited campaign spokesperson said: "The Government's response is absolutely abominable & insulting & does not address issues of life & death raised by cross-party MPs throughout the debate on a Gaza Family Scheme.

"'Existing routes' do not work. The UK must & can act to protect & reunite Palestinian families."