National

Canadian in Gaza says Israeli air strikes now relentless ahead of ground invasion

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Oct, 2023 09:54 AM

A Canadian man in Gaza says Israeli airstrikes that were previously heard roughly every hour can now be heard every few minutes as the Israel-Hamas war escalates.

More than 25 members of Global Affairs Canada’s Standing Rapid Deployment Team are working hand-in-hand with our officials on the ground in #TelAviv, #Ramallah, #Athens, #Beirut, #Amman, #Cyprus and #Cairo providing emergency consular services to Canadians. pic.twitter.com/BItZwwXTIe
— Travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) October 19, 2023

Mansour Shouman says Israel's bombardment of Gaza has grown relentless recently, and even locations where civilians were previously advised to take refuge are not safe.

The sounds of explosions can be heard in the background as Shouman says he narrowly escaped an airstrike near the southern Gaza hospital complex where he has been taking shelter.

He also says that small shipments of aid that were twice allowed into Gaza over the weekend have barely made a dent in the massive need for essentials.

Israel has still not allowed any fuel to enter Gaza, where there has been a power blackout for nearly two weeks since Hamas' Oct. 7 rampage into southern Israeli communities.

Israel is expected to launch a ground offensive in Gaza and says it has stepped up airstrikes in order to reduce the risk to troops in the next stages.

Shouman, who was born in Gaza, used to live in Calgary and moved with his family to the Middle East in 2006, says he has been trying to raise awareness about the humanitarian toll the war is taking.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

IHIT officer testifies to executing DNA warrant of man accused in B.C. murder trial

Sgt-Maj. Heather Lew told a B.C. Supreme Court murder trial that she collected a few drops of blood from Ibrahim Ali's finger on Sept. 9, 2018, two days after his arrest and almost 14 months after the girl's body was found. Ali has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of the teen.

IHIT officer testifies to executing DNA warrant of man accused in B.C. murder trial

Hamas's attack on Israel: Two victims with Canadian ties laid to rest

Two victims with ties to Canada who were killed in Hamas's attacks on Israel were remembered fondly by relatives on Wednesday, who called for the world to recognize the brutality of what happened. Tiferet Lapidot, 22, was formally identified by authorities on Monday, more than a week after she died at a music festival near the Gaza Strip border, where Hamas's attack began on Oct. 7. Her family had thought she was among those being held hostage.

Hamas's attack on Israel: Two victims with Canadian ties laid to rest

Burnaby homes gutted by fire

Four unoccupied homes have been badly damaged after an early morning fire in Burnaby. Fire officials say that the homes were slated for demolition. Summers says they needed 42 firefighters and 11 trucks to knock down the blaze.

Burnaby homes gutted by fire

B.C. man, Mukhtiar Singh Panghali, who killed his pregnant wife in 2006 is granted full parole

A British Columbia man who killed his pregnant wife and burned her body in 2006 has been granted full parole. Mukhtiar Singh Panghali, who's now 51 years old, was given a life sentence in 2011 for second-degree murder in the death of Manjit Panghali.

B.C. man, Mukhtiar Singh Panghali, who killed his pregnant wife in 2006 is granted full parole

RCMP say 12-year-old killed while biking to school in Pitt Meadows

Police in Metro Vancouver say a 12-year-old was hit and killed by a recycling truck while biking to school this week. The RCMP say they're investigating the collision that occurred at an intersection in Pitt Meadows, B.C., around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. They say paramedics and Pitt Meadows firefighters tried to save the child's life, but the young victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

RCMP say 12-year-old killed while biking to school in Pitt Meadows

First atmospheric river of fall deluges parts of B.C. south coast, southern Interior

Rainfall warnings cover most of Vancouver Island, as well as the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, Whistler and Metro Vancouver as Environment Canada pinpoints a firehose-like band pumping moisture from the subtropics directly at the B.C. coast. More than 200 millimetres of rain could fall along sections of western Vancouver Island, while 80 to 110 millimetres are forecast across the Howe Sound, Whistler and Sea-to-Sky regions before the storm is expected to ease late in the day.