A Palestinian academic living in the UK has been told by the Home Office that his desperate bid to bring his wife and children from Gaza is not considered urgent, dashing his hopes of a family reunion.
Family trapped in a tent while UK says 'wait'
Bassem Abudagga, a PhD student at York St John University, last saw his wife Marim and their two children, ten-year-old Talya and six-year-old Karim, in person in the autumn of 2023. He had returned to Gaza for a visit just weeks before the 7 October attacks. Since then, the family home has been destroyed, and his loved ones are now living in a camp near the sea, facing food shortages, winter cold, and the constant fear of bombardment.
In a recent letter, Home Office officials rejected Abudagga's latest request, stating they were "not satisfied that their circumstances are sufficiently compelling" to deviate from standard policy. This policy requires his wife to provide fingerprints at a Visa Application Centre (VAC), a facility that no longer exists in Gaza due to Israeli bombardments.
'British values' questioned in Home Office response
The decision has left Abudagga devastated. "I felt my final hope of being reunited with my wife and children after more than three years had been lost," he told the Guardian. His wife's response was one of despair, telling him over the phone: "It seems we will never meet again... Just keep concentrating on your studies."
Particularly shocking to Abudagga and his supporters was the Home Office's implication that bringing his family to the UK could impact "national and border security." The letter also argued that as Abudagga's stay in the UK was considered temporary, it was "appropriate for your minor clients to remain with their primary carer, their mother, until circumstances change."
"When I read that they link bringing my family to the UK with UK security, and suggest the children are better off in Gaza, I simply could not believe in British values and norms any more," Abudagga said.
Legal challenge mounted as policy tightens
Abudagga had asked for a decision in principle on the visas before his wife attended a VAC, which would have allowed him to seek Foreign Office help to evacuate them to a country where a centre was operational. This request was denied.
The Home Office acknowledged the difficult circumstances in Gaza but stated it was "not satisfied" there was sufficient evidence to show the case was urgent or that reunion could not be delayed "until it is safe to visit a VAC."
Legal sources note a noticeable toughening of Home Office responses in recent months, as the government attempts to clamp down on immigration. Abudagga's case is one of many involving Palestinians trapped in Gaza.
His local MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey, has written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood asking for a reconsideration, but the decision stands. Abudagga has now instructed human rights firm Leigh Day to challenge the refusal. Lawyer Sarah Crowe said they would be writing to the Home Office to argue the decision is "plainly unlawful" and that the family's applications should be predetermined under existing policy.
