Gaza Herald- The Gaza Center for Human Rights has sounded the alarm over a growing number of complaints from Palestinians originally from the Gaza Strip who are living abroad and have been denied the issuance or renewal of Palestinian passports by embassies and diplomatic missions. According to the center, these refusals are being justified under vague claims of a “security ban,” prompting urgent calls for intervention by the Palestinian Authority to end what it described as arbitrary and discriminatory practices.
In a statement released Tuesday, the center said it has documented numerous cases in which Palestinians were left without valid travel documents, placing their legal status, livelihoods, education, and access to healthcare at serious risk. The organization warned that the denial of passports strips individuals of their basic civil rights and, in some instances, exposes them to deportation or loss of residency in host countries.
Lives Put on Hold by Arbitrary Refusals
The center noted that many of those affected are students, patients, and families whose lives have been thrown into uncertainty. Some students have been unable to complete residency or academic requirements, while others have lost scholarship opportunities altogether. Patients, meanwhile, have been prevented from traveling for treatment or from renewing their legal stay, with families left in limbo due to expired or invalid documents.
A key concern highlighted by the center is the absence of transparency. Applicants are often informed of a “security rejection” without being given any explanation, written decision, or meaningful avenue to challenge the refusal. This lack of due process, the center said, has compounded the psychological and material harm suffered by those affected.
Individual Cases Reveal a Broader Pattern
Among the cases documented is that of Mahmoud, a 22-year-old student from Gaza who applied to renew his passport at the Palestinian consulate in Istanbul in October 2025 so he could apply for an international scholarship. After months of unanswered follow-ups, he was eventually told that his application had been rejected on “security” grounds, without further clarification. As a result, Mahmoud lost his chance at the scholarship and now fears losing his legal residency.
Another case involves Khaled, a 26-year-old from Khan Younis residing in Malaysia, who submitted a passport renewal request at the Palestinian embassy more than two months ago. Despite the fact that normal processing takes less than a month, he has received no response. The center said Khaled is one of at least ten Palestinian graduates in Malaysia currently stranded due to expired passports, unable to work or travel.
In a third case, Reem, 33, from Gaza City, applied to renew her passport at the Palestinian embassy in Qatar. After nearly three months of waiting, she was informed that her application was rejected due to a security ban. She later learned informally that the decision was allegedly linked to her family background, as two of her brothers had served in Gaza’s police force and were killed in an Israeli airstrike during the most recent war.
Legal Violations and Discrimination
The Gaza Center for Human Rights stressed that denying passports based on geographic origin, political affiliation, or undefined “security” considerations constitutes a grave violation of both Palestinian law and international human rights standards. It said such practices breach the Palestinian Basic Law and international treaties ratified by the State of Palestine, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The center emphasized that the right to freedom of movement, choice of residence, legal recognition, and possession of identity documents is protected under international law. It warned that discrimination based on place of origin, political opinion, or family background is explicitly prohibited.
According to the center, any restriction on issuing official documents must be grounded in clear legal provisions, supported by individualized and reasoned judicial decisions, and subject to oversight and appeal. The widespread and opaque use of the term “security ban,” without defined criteria or procedural safeguards, was described as an abuse of authority and a form of collective punishment, particularly when applied to Palestinians solely because they are from Gaza.
Calls for Immediate Action and Accountability
The center expressed particular concern that these measures are being enforced at a time when Gaza is enduring an ongoing Israeli assault and siege, while Palestinians from the Strip abroad are struggling to secure safety, stability, and legal protection. It urged affected individuals to document their cases and seek legal support through human rights organizations to pursue accountability.
Reaffirming that the Palestinian Authority holds sole legal responsibility for issuing passports, the center demanded an immediate end to refusals based on vague security claims, political affiliation, or geographic origin. It also called for the publication of clear and lawful criteria governing any exceptional restrictions, the creation of independent and effective appeal mechanisms, strict timelines for application processing, and binding instructions to embassies to operate as public service institutions that safeguard citizens’ rights.
Rights Undermined Amid a Broader Catastrophe
The statement concluded by urging the Palestinian Authority to respect the right of all citizens to obtain passports and enjoy freedom of movement without discrimination, and to cease relying on undefined security justifications to undermine fundamental rights.
These developments unfold as Gaza continues to suffer the consequences of Israel’s ongoing military campaign since October 7, 2023, carried out with US and European backing. The assault has resulted in mass killing, starvation, displacement, detention, and widespread destruction, in defiance of international appeals and binding rulings by the International Court of Justice.
According to available figures, the genocide has left more than 242,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, most of them women and children, over 11,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a devastating famine alongside the near-total destruction of Gaza’s cities and neighborhoods.
