Close X
Monday, September 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Global Affairs Canada 'aware of reports' of missing Canadian in Gaza Strip

Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Feb, 2024 12:08 PM
  • Global Affairs Canada 'aware of reports' of missing Canadian in Gaza Strip

Ottawa says it is aware of reports that another Canadian citizen has gone missing in the Gaza Strip.

Global Affairs Canada says it is providing consular assistance to the family but can't share more because of privacy considerations. 

The Associated Press reports that Israeli forces detained two young adult American brothers and their Canadian father in Gaza in an overnight raid.

Relatives of the men say they were taken from their home.

A U.S. Embassy official in Jerusalem reached by telephone from Washington said American officials were aware of the situation and were following up with Israeli authorities.

The embassy official gave no details and ended the call without giving her name, while the Israeli foreign ministry and military had no immediate comment.

Borak Alagha, 18, and Hashem Alagha, 20, two brothers born in the Chicago area, are among fewer than 50 U.S. citizens known to still be trying to leave sealed-off Gaza, as the Israel-Hamas war entered its fifth month.

Cousin Yasmeen Elagha, a law student at Northwestern University, said Israeli forces entered the family home in the community of al-Muwasi, near the southern city of Khan Younis, around 5 a.m. Gaza time Thursday.

The soldiers tied up and blindfolded the women and children in the family, and placed them outside the home, the cousin said.

The two American brothers, their Canadian citizen father, a mentally disabled uncle and two other adult male relatives were taken away by the Israelis, and remain missing, Elagha said.

Men of a neighboring household were also taken away. So were other adult male relatives of another Alagha household, for a total of about 20 detained, the U.S. cousin said.

A family social media account from Gaza also described the detentions.

State Department spokespeople in Washington had no immediate comment on the reported detention of the American brothers.

The brothers would be among three American citizens taken into custody by Israeli forces this week, during the same time Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the region to try to mediate a ceasefire and hostage release deal with ally Israel and regional Arab leaders.

MORE National ARTICLES

Free legal service in BC

Free legal service in BC
A free and confidential legal service is now being offered to people who have been sexually assaulted in British Columbia. The not-for-profit Community Legal Assistance Society officially launched the program Tuesday, which offers three hours of legal advice to people regardless of age, gender or income, or whether they have reported the assault to police.

Free legal service in BC

Pedestrian struck in Richmond

Pedestrian struck in Richmond
A female pedestrian is dead after she was struck by a vehicle in Richmond over the weekend. Richmond R-C-M-P say the crash happened on Oct. 14 at 6 a-m in the 7000 block of Granville Avenue.

Pedestrian struck in Richmond

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the bombing of a hospital in Gaza is not legal and is calling the situation "absolutely unacceptable." Trudeau was responding to unfolding reports by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry that an Israeli airstrike hit a hospital in Gaza City, killing hundreds of Palestinians, including people using the hospital as shelter. 

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'
Eby says Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke "fought a good fight" in attempting to move the RCMP back to its police force of jurisdiction, but that the decision to move ahead with a municipal force has been made by his government and is no longer up for discussion.

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group
An Israeli woman with Canadian family has died, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says. The centre says the family of Tiferet Lapidot has asked that the development be shared with the media.   

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he wishes Canadian grocers would be more forthcoming with the public about their plans to stabilize prices. Earlier this month, Champagne announced that major Canadian grocers — Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco — submitted initial plans to the federal government for how they will stabilize prices in the face of high inflation.

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices