Close X
Wednesday, November 20, 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

Aid groups give federal budget thumbs down

Aid groups give federal budget thumbs down
The Liberals had budgeted for $6.6 billion in foreign aid for the 2019-2020 financial year before the pandemic began, and the government's response to COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine boosted the amount to more than $8 billion by last year.

Aid groups give federal budget thumbs down

Police need the public's help in a serious collision at the intersection of 176th Street and 80th Avenue

Police need the public's help in a serious collision at the intersection of 176th Street and 80th Avenue
On March 20, 2023 at 3:37 pm, police responded to a report of a collision at the intersection of 176 Street and 80 Avenue where one of the occupants was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver of second vehicle stayed on scene and is cooperative.

Police need the public's help in a serious collision at the intersection of 176th Street and 80th Avenue

Driver in custody after fleeing from police: Chilliwack RCMP

Driver in custody after fleeing from police: Chilliwack RCMP
The driver, Dane Nikolas Lee Miller was taken into custody and is facing charges of Flight from peace officer, Dangerous operation, Failure to stop after accident and Drive while prohibited.

Driver in custody after fleeing from police: Chilliwack RCMP

Multiple people pepper sprayed at a movie theatre in Guildford, Surrey on Saturday

Multiple people pepper sprayed at a movie theatre in Guildford, Surrey on Saturday
The incident occurred at 5:28 p.m. in theatre 6 where approximately 20-30 people, including children, were watching a movie. The male suspect entered the theater, sprayed viewers and fled the scene. 

Multiple people pepper sprayed at a movie theatre in Guildford, Surrey on Saturday

Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at SFU damaged in vandalism act: Burnaby RCMP

Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at SFU damaged in vandalism act: Burnaby RCMP
The Mounties were contacted around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, after someone noticed the statue had been vandalized, with the head having been removed. It is not yet known when the vandalism happened. It’s believed a power tool was likely used.    

Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at SFU damaged in vandalism act: Burnaby RCMP

Democrats, GOP spar over Canada-U.S. border

Democrats, GOP spar over Canada-U.S. border
In a subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, House Republicans fanned the flames of an emerging fire-and-brimstone narrative about a "metastasizing crisis" of irregular migration along the world's longest international frontier.

Democrats, GOP spar over Canada-U.S. border