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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Ghassan Ghaben

Human rights are not a ‘loophole’ – why can’t families from Gaza like mine seek safety in the UK?

A displaced Palestinian family shelter at the border with Egypt, in Rafah, in February 2024.
A displaced Palestinian family shelter at the border with Egypt, in Rafah, in February 2024. Photograph: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

As the devastation in Gaza continues, Palestinian families in Britain are racing against the clock to try to bring our loved ones to safety. News finally came of a successful family reunification – but instead of being able to feel a moment of relief for this one family, we’ve had to face a vicious political and media backlash.

The UK media, government and even the prime minister have fixated on a “loophole” that allowed a mother, father and four children from Gaza to be granted the right to live in the UK via the Ukraine family scheme. It obscures the reality that there is no Gaza family reunification scheme, forcing Palestinians to navigate an immigration system that offers no clear pathway to safety.

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