Posted on 26 March 2024
More than 30 humanitarian organizations, including World Vision, Save the Children, and Greenpeace, have issued an impassioned plea to the New Zealand government. Their urgent request: create a special humanitarian visa for Palestinians in Gaza who have ties to New Zealand. The situation in Gaza is dire, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes, families starving, and access to healthcare and medical treatment nearly impossible. These organizations estimate that several hundred Palestinians could qualify for such a visa, including family members of the approximately 288 Palestinian New Zealanders already residing in the country.
While Immigration Minister Erica Stanford contends that the issue in Gaza is primarily a humanitarian and border concern, not a visa issue, the organizations argue that political will can make a difference. Other countries, such as Canada and Australia, have successfully evacuated people from Gaza. The call for a special humanitarian visa aligns with New Zealand’s longstanding position on humanitarian issues, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond to this urgent plea for assistance.
Source: RNZ