Teenager trapped in Gaza brings legal case against UK over parental separation

An 18-year-old trapped in Gaza is bringing a legal case against the British government after he was refused entry clearance to join his family in the UK.

The teen, whose identity has not been revealed, has been displaced internally in the besieged enclave repeatedly since 7 October.

At the time the conflict began his parents were visiting his two older brothers who are currently based in the UK.

The legal case will argue on Wednesday that the 18-year-old - described by the Guardian as "emotionally, financially and practically dependent on his parents" - made successful entry clearance applications to visit his brothers in the UK alongside his parents, and had provided biometrics at a visa application centre (VAC) as recently as August 2022.

In December, he made an urgent entry clearance application to the Home Office but was refused, stating that he had not submitted his biometrics at a VAC in Gaza, despite the fact all the centres are now closed due to the fighting.

“This situation is extremely grave. It’s a ticking timebomb – he could be killed at any point. The toll on my parents is indescribable," his eldest brother said, according to the Guardian.

"My mother has Parkinson’s, the tremors have worsened now and it is spreading to other parts of her body. Every day, the probability he will be killed gets higher and higher. The anxiety is literally killing my mother, while my brother is alone, desperate and abandoned.”