Close X
Tuesday, September 24, 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

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued the "all clear" to residents affected by the Ross Moore Lake fire which was sparked by lightning nine weeks ago and scorched nearly 114 square kilometres before being held. The B.C. Wildfire Service says an area restriction order covering travel through the fire zone remains in effect until at least Friday.

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show
The documents obtained by the B.C. office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives show a registered professional engineer found numerous problems in 2018 with dikes protecting the community in the province's southern Interior.  Dike maintenance is a municipal responsibility but with provincial oversight.

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild
Canadians can expect a "fickle fall" this year as the season is forecast to start off chilly before above normal temperatures lead the country into winter, a prominent forecaster predicts. The Weather Network says winter may appear to taunt Canadians across the country as they face periods of very cold weather during the fall, but the season is expected to end on a mild note because a jet stream in the Pacific Ocean, called El Niño, is expected to be two degrees warmer than usual.

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests
Just over one year after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a new poll suggests a growing number of Canadians believe it’s time to reconsider the country’s ties to the monarchy. Data released Wednesday by Leger indicates that 63 per cent of respondents said it was time to rethink ties — a seven point increase from March. About 81 per cent of respondents said they didn’t feel attached to the monarchy, compared to 14 per cent who said they did, results similar to six months ago.

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus
Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser says the Liberal government is set to announce unprecedented measures to help with the lack of affordable homes in Canada. He said the measures will start with an announcement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make in London, Ont., Wednesday afternoon before meeting with most of his party's 158 MPs.

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus

Canada to match donations to Red Cross to help earthquake-stricken Morocco

Canada to match donations to Red Cross to help earthquake-stricken Morocco
The federal government says it will match donations to the Canadian Red Cross over the next two weeks to help Morocco recover from a devastating earthquake. International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says every donation to the Red Cross made by individuals from Sept. 8 to 28 will be matched by the government, to a maximum of $3 million.

Canada to match donations to Red Cross to help earthquake-stricken Morocco