Concerns new White House travel ban on Gaza may impact Palestinian children in Bay Area for medical treatment
Last week, three children arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Gaza for life-saving medical treatment. But now, there are concerns they could be sent back.
Dr. Mohammad Subeh, a Bay Area emergency medicine physician, and one of the doctors who helped to bring the three children to Bay Area, says he had a feeling of "profound sadness and bewilderment that my fellow human beings want to inflict additional cruelty and inhumane actions against these children, who are just trying to survive."
On Saturday, the White House announced that it will issue a travel ban on people coming from Gaza -- a halt to all visitor visas and a review of those already in the U.S. on special medical visas.
"We are concerned that this is a direct response to anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic rhetoric from Representative Randy Fine and Laura Loomer... by continuing its broader trend of 'Israel First,'" said Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Though President Trump has made comments recognizing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza , the State Department's policy shift comes after far-right activist Laura Loomer, described by CAIR National as an "anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist," criticized the three Gazan kids for coming to the U.S. for medical treatment.
Loomer, who is described as having an influential role in the Trump administration , claims the Gazan children coming for medial treatment pose a "national security threat." Then on Saturday, Loomer took to X to take credit for the policy change .
"The United States is arming the Israeli military and settlers, permitting them to cause critical injuries to Palestinians. And now, prohibiting those very Palestinians from seeking medical treatment in the United States," Billoo said.
In a statement to ABC7 News, the organization Heal Palestine , which brought the three Gazan kids to the U.S. says that it, "works closely with the State Department to ensure every child and their families meet their rigorous vetting standards."
Heal Palestine says their patients pass through Palestinian, Israeli, Jordanian and American immigration officials before they come to the Unites States. In addition, Heal Palestine says all medical treatments are paid for by donations.
Leyan, 14, was badly burned and injured by shrapnel in a school bombing. Anas, 8, survived a bombing that killed his father. He suffered injuries to his legs. Six-year-old Ghazal was wounded in an explosion. All have begun treatment. Their surgeries will be scheduled once the three overcome their malnutrition.
RELATED: Several injured children from Gaza arrive at SFO for medical care at Bay Area hospitals
One of the children is being treated at an East Bay hospital. East Bay Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (D-Oakland), says she will fight any attempt to send the kids back early.
"I did read the post coming from the administration. And I think we can all see the point is cruelty," Simon said.
And while the chances the three children from Gaza will be sent home early are low, UC College of the Law Professor Emeritus George Bisharat says no one is safe.
"For humanitarian reasons, they should not be subjected to this kind of discrimination. But that pattern is there. And it gives me concern that this is not a flash in the pan," Bisharat said.
Heal Palestine says one of its patients who came to the Bay Area in Dec. 2024, has underwent surgery and received a prosthetic leg and eye. She will be going home on Monday now that her treatment is complete.
