Myria wishes to urgently draw attention to certain issues concerning Palestinians in Belgium or people with links to Belgium who are in the conflict region.

Three points are particularly highlighted:

1. While Belgian authorities in the region are working to allow Belgians and their families who are stuck to cross the Rafah border crossing in order to leave the Gaza Strip, this assistance is not legally provided for non-Belgians who live in Belgium and have the right to stay there, but who are in Gaza. Myria requests that evacuation also be possible and facilitated for people who have a right of residence in Belgium or a visa for it.

2. Myria raises the difficulties encountered by Palestinians residing in Gaza in introducing visa applications either for family reunification or for humanitarian reasons. Moreover, Myria recommends that the Immigration Office take into account the humanitarian context when processing pending visa applications. It also underlines that, even after a positive decision, there is currently no solution for family members to leave Gaza and be issued visas.

3. While the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) has announced that the notification of decisions granting or refusing subsidiary protection status is temporarily suspended for applicants from Gaza and the West Bank, Myria calls for the cases of Palestinians in Gaza to be processed quickly on the basis of a solid and correct protection policy.

For further information, please read the press release from Myria in French or in Dutch.