Court overturns block on Gaza mothers and children joining families in UK

A court has quashed a Home Office decision to block mothers and children in Gaza from joining their families in the UK, after an immigration judge found the government's Unsafe Journeys Policy had been applied unlawfully to two families, according to the Guardian.

Families abroad whose applications to reunite with relatives in the UK have been approved typically must undergo biometric checks, including fingerprinting and facial images, at a visa application centre, the report said.

However, the visa application centre in Gaza has been closed since October 2023, and leaving the territory to access biometric facilities elsewhere has been difficult, according to the report, complicating the path to reunification for affected families.

The ruling specifically addressed two families whose cases were brought before the immigration court, though further details on the families involved, the timeline of their applications, and the Home Office's response to the ruling were not included in the available report.

The case highlights broader challenges facing family reunification policy for people seeking to leave Gaza amid continued access constraints to consular and visa services.