Close X
Friday, September 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

Experts eye interest rate in 2024 as assessed property values stabilize in B.C.

Experts eye interest rate in 2024 as assessed property values stabilize in B.C.
The assessed value of a single-family home in Vancouver which reflected the market on July 1, 2023, rose four per cent to just above $2.2 million, while strata properties remained nearly unchanged at $807,000.  

Experts eye interest rate in 2024 as assessed property values stabilize in B.C.

Records for warmest December set or tied in Vancouver and other parts of B.C.

Records for warmest December set or tied in Vancouver and other parts of B.C.
Data from Environment Canada has confirmed what winter sport enthusiasts have known for a while — December was warm in British Columbia. Five communities in the province set or equalled temperature records for the month while the warm weather, combined with a lack of rain or snow, has done little to ease ongoing drought concerns.   

Records for warmest December set or tied in Vancouver and other parts of B.C.

Vancouver region closes out 2023 with higher home sales, average price of $1,168,700

Vancouver region closes out 2023 with higher home sales, average price of $1,168,700
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says December home sales rose compared with a year earlier as the region closed out 2023 with balanced market conditions despite high borrowing costs. The board says 1,345 homes changed hands in December, a 3.2 per cent increase from the same month in 2022, but 36.4 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average.

Vancouver region closes out 2023 with higher home sales, average price of $1,168,700

TransLink launches new R-6 Scott Road RapidBus for Surrey

TransLink launches new R-6 Scott Road RapidBus for Surrey
TransLink says its new R-6 Scott Road RapidBus is now cruising the streets on what it calls the busiest bus corridor south of the Fraser.  TransLink says the R-6 is geared toward Surry and Delta residents and Kwantlen University students, who can expect to shave a few minutes off their trips between Scott Road station and the Newton bus exchange. 

TransLink launches new R-6 Scott Road RapidBus for Surrey

One dead in Surrey house fire

One dead in Surrey house fire
One person died on New Year's Day in a house fire in Surrey. Mounties say four occupants of the house escaped and are being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

One dead in Surrey house fire

Roman Arinder Gill & Shaun Narinder Gill charged following shots fired in Guildford

Roman Arinder Gill & Shaun Narinder Gill charged following shots fired in Guildford
On December 30th of last year 24-year-old Roman Arinder Gill and 28-year-old Shaun Narinder Gill were charged with various firearm offences.  Mounties say officers were called Friday to a report of shots fired, when two suspects fled the area in a blue Range Rover.

Roman Arinder Gill & Shaun Narinder Gill charged following shots fired in Guildford