Pressure mounts on UK's Starmer to create Gaza family reunification visa

A cross-party group of 67 MPs and Lords has urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to urgently introduce a Ukraine-style visa scheme for Palestinians in Gaza with family in the UK.

In a letter seen by Sky News, signatories called for a “Gaza Family Scheme” to allow Palestinians to reunite with relatives in Britain "until it is safe to return.”

The appeal echoes previous UK efforts to assist Ukrainians and Hong Kongers fleeing conflict and repression.

“Just as the UK opened its doors to those fleeing persecution in Ukraine and Hong Kong, we believe the same generosity should be extended to Palestinian families,” the letter states.

The appeal comes amid the ongoing war in Gaza, triggered by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw 250 hostages taken. The letter claims more than 53,000 Palestinians have since died in Israel’s military response and accuses Israel of “weaponising starvation” and “shattering the temporary ceasefire agreement.”

The letter was signed by 35 Labour MPs and Lords, including Marsha de Cordova, Stella Creasy, Clive Lewis, Richard Burgon, and Kim Johnson. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell, now independents, also signed. Other signatories include all four Green MPs, Lib Dems Layla Moran and Tim Farron, SNP members, and Northern Irish MPs. Only one Conservative, Baroness Helic, lent her support. The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani, also added her name.

Marsha de Cordova, who helped organise the letter alongside the Gaza Families Reunited campaign, told Sky News the proposed scheme is in line with previous humanitarian initiatives: “Establishing a Gaza Family Visa Scheme would be an extension of those same principles, showing that this government is steadfast in its commitment to helping families experiencing the worst horrors of war.”

The letter also highlights the obstacles Palestinians face in navigating the UK immigration system, including the destruction of Gaza’s visa centre and the closure of the Rafah crossing, which makes providing required biometrics impossible. MPs note some Gazans have reached Egypt but remain “in limbo,” without access to healthcare or education.

Campaigners argue that the number of Palestinians in the UK is small, and an even smaller number have family trapped in Gaza. Ghassan Ghaben, spokesperson for Gaza Families Reunited, said: “We simply want the opportunity to bring our loved ones from Gaza to safety… The UK welcomed those fleeing war in Ukraine and Hong Kong. All we are asking for is the same treatment.”

The letter calls the scheme a “vital step” in addressing the UK’s historical and ongoing responsibilities toward Palestinians, adding that the government has a duty to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes.

Responding to the campaign, a government spokesperson said: “The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. We have been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, better protection for civilians, and more aid entering Gaza. There are a range of routes available for Palestinians who wish to join family members in the UK.”

By Tamilla Hasanova