Close X
Sunday, November 17, 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

Shooting outside a South Vancouver banquet hall leaves 28 year old man dead

Shooting outside a South Vancouver banquet hall leaves 28 year old man dead
Police say multiple people called to report the shooting outside a south Vancouver banquet hall near Fraser Street and Southeast Marine Drive at 1:30 a.m. Sunday. They say officers performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived, but he died from his injuries.

Shooting outside a South Vancouver banquet hall leaves 28 year old man dead

Affordable homes open in Coquitlam

Affordable homes open in Coquitlam
A dozen new affordable and accessible rental homes have opened in Coquitlam. The Housing Ministry says the 12 units are part of a new 25-storey, 189-unit apartment tower.  

Affordable homes open in Coquitlam

B.C. extends reach of property tax aimed at turning empty houses into rental homes

B.C. extends reach of property tax aimed at turning empty houses into rental homes
A statement from the Ministry of Finance says the Speculation and Vacancy Tax now includes the municipalities of North Cowichan, Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, Lions Bay and Squamish. Starting early next year, homeowners in those areas will join owners in 40 other B.C. cities, districts and towns who are required to declare how their property was used in 2023.  

B.C. extends reach of property tax aimed at turning empty houses into rental homes

Florida man pleads not guilty after Canada-U.S. human smuggling tragedy in Manitoba

Florida man pleads not guilty after Canada-U.S. human smuggling tragedy in Manitoba
Shand, from Deltona, Fla., was arrested in January 2022 in a remote area of northern Minnesota, where U.S. Border Patrol officers encountered him with two Indian nationals in a rented passenger van.   

Florida man pleads not guilty after Canada-U.S. human smuggling tragedy in Manitoba

One dead after collision on Highway 17, Highway 17 & Old Yale Road shut down

One dead after collision on Highway 17, Highway 17 & Old Yale Road shut down
Despite the efforts of first responders, one person has succumbed to their injuries and two people have been transported to hospital. Highway 17 and Old Yale Road will be closed in all directions until further notice.  

One dead after collision on Highway 17, Highway 17 & Old Yale Road shut down

New system will bring families of immigrants to Canada faster: Fraser

New system will bring families of immigrants to Canada faster: Fraser
Family members who want to move to Canada can apply to join their sponsor while they wait for their permanent residency to be approved, but they're often denied the necessary visa because of concerns they're unlikely to leave once it expires.

New system will bring families of immigrants to Canada faster: Fraser