Close X
Saturday, September 21, 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

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service
A new federal report says cyberthreat activity targeting elections is increasing worldwide, and is now more likely to be seen in Canada's next federal ballot. The report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security found that in 2022 slightly over one-quarter of all national elections globally had at least one reported cyberincident.

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date
The long-promised cap on greenhouse gas emissions for Canada's oil and gas sector will begin as early as 2026 and use a cap-and-trade system that applies by facility, a federal government source said Wednesday. The outline for the policy that the government is set to publish Thursday will show that industry will not be asked to cut emissions as deeply as planned under last year's emissions reduction report, said the source.

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan
The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in 10 years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization. Statistics Canada data shows that 27 per cent of people 15 and older — about eight million Canadians — reported having at least one disability in 2022, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad says Premier David Eby and Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon are both looking over their shoulders at the political gains being made by the new kid on the block. Rustad says the presence of his two-member Conservative caucus has stirred debate and changed dialogue at the legislature and the party appears to be gaining momentum with voters as British Columbia's scheduled fall election approaches.  

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring
The B.C. Coroners Service had been "forever altered" by the public health emergency that continued to take the lives of people of all ages across the province, including more than 2,000 deaths so far this year, Lapointe said in a statement Wednesday. B.C. declared a drug overdose public health emergency in April 2016. Latest numbers show the loss of 13,317 lives, at a current rate of more than six people a day.

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring

Burnaby business targeted twice in 24 hrs

Burnaby business targeted twice in 24 hrs
Police in Burnaby say they have recovered about half-a-million-dollars in stolen surveying equipment after a business was targeted by thieves twice in 24 hours. Burnaby R-C-M-P say the first break-in happened at 6 a-m on November 13th at the business, located near Still Creek Avenue and Douglas Road.  

Burnaby business targeted twice in 24 hrs