Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees says he will not be able to attend this weekend’s Academy Awards due to a US travel ban affecting Palestinian citizens.

Malhees plays a call centre operator in the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which has been nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. The movie tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024.

The actor said he cannot travel to the United States because people holding Palestinian citizenship are currently barred from entering the country.

“I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees wrote in a post on Instagram, adding that it “hurts” not to be able to attend the prestigious awards ceremony.

The film is based on a tragic incident in which five members of Hind Rajab’s family and two ambulance workers who tried to rescue her were also killed by Israeli fire. Israeli authorities have said the incident is under review.

The travel restriction stems from a December proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump, which limits the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or approved by the Palestinian Authority. The order cited security concerns for imposing the restrictions.

The U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Malhees’s claim.

Source: NDTV