Home Office Blocks Evacuation of Women and Children from Gaza
The Home Office is blocking the evacuation of dozens of women and children from Gaza, despite the Foreign Office stating it is ready to facilitate their departure from the war-torn territory. Families who applied for refugee family reunions before a suspension in September are being denied onward travel assurances, leaving them stranded in life-threatening conditions.
Suspension of Family Reunion Applications
In September, the Home Office announced a suspension of refugee family reunion applications, with plans to introduce more restrictive rules in spring. However, no new rules have been announced, and the process remains suspended. Applications made before the suspension continue to be processed, but families in Gaza who applied to reunite with immediate family members are blocked from joining loved ones in the UK.
Evacuation Process and Home Office Obstruction
Evacuations from Gaza involve both the Home Office and the Foreign Office. Families with a right to leave are evacuated via Jordan, but the Home Office is not providing the required onward travel assurance (OTA) and is using legal challenges to block their entry to the UK, sometimes deploying several senior barristers to a single case. The Home Office insists biometrics must be obtained before travel to Jordan, even though the visa centre in Gaza has been closed since October 2023. In contrast, other European countries such as Belgium, France, Italy, and Ireland are facilitating such evacuations.
Legal Challenges and Security Claims
Lawyers for the families argue that the Home Office is taking a harsher line with Palestinian families compared to refugees from other countries. In some cases, the Home Office claims that family members, including small children, pose a security risk because they come from a “territory where terrorists operate,” even though some refugees in the UK were granted leave based on persecution by Hamas in Gaza.
Specific Cases Highlighted
The Guardian previously reported on Bassem Abudagga, a PhD student separated from his family. Although the Foreign Office agreed to help evacuate his family, the Home Office stated they must wait until December for a decision on an OTA. In a communication on 15 July 2026, the Home Office acknowledged insanitary conditions, infested tents, and frequent bombings but said these do not amount to compelling circumstances under guidance.
Another case involves a Palestinian refugee in the UK separated from his wife, three children aged 9, 12, and 14, and a 17-year-old nephew orphaned by the war. He said: “My family are in constant danger and I worry about them every minute of every day. The UK government promised to help my family but has now gone back on that promise. They say my family could be dangerous because there are terrorists operating in Gaza. I don’t understand how a mother and her children can be considered a security threat.”
Legal and Government Response
Sarah Crowe, a solicitor at Leigh Day representing some families, said: “The UK government has abandoned vulnerable families in Gaza after promising to assist them. The Home Office is blocking family reunification when the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is ready and willing to evacuate them.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Under our reforms to create a fairer asylum system, family reunion will no longer be automatic. Those seeking to bring family members to the UK will need to meet stricter criteria.”
