Internal government documents have revealed that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is considering allowing some Palestinians from Gaza to enter the United States as refugees amidst the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
According to documents obtained by CBS News, senior officials from several U.S. federal agencies have recently discussed the potential options for admitting Gazans with direct family ties to American citizens or permanent residents in the United States.
The documents indicate that one proposal involves utilizing the American refugee admission program to accept Palestinians who have connections to the United States and have fled Gaza to Egypt.
U.S. officials are also considering admitting Palestinians from outside Gaza as refugees if they have American relatives, the documents suggest.
The documents state that “individuals from Gaza who pass a series of eligibility, medical, and security screenings would be eligible to fly to the United States and be granted refugee status, which ensures permanent residency and resettlement benefits such as assistance with finding housing and a path to U.S. citizenship.”
A White House spokesperson told Fox News, “Since the conflict began, the United States has helped over 1,800 American citizens and their families leave Gaza, many of whom came to the United States.”
The spokesperson added, “Under President Biden’s direction, we have also helped, and will continue to assist, particularly vulnerable individuals such as children with serious health issues and children undergoing cancer treatment, to get away from harm and receive care in nearby hospitals.”
However, the spokesperson affirmed that the United States firmly rejects any actions that lead to the forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or the West Bank or the redrawing of Gaza’s boundaries.
The war has resulted in the deaths of more than 34,000 people so far in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
