Close X
Monday, December 2, 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

AG blames B.C. Conservatives after SOGI protest tractor crash, IIO investigates

AG blames B.C. Conservatives after SOGI protest tractor crash, IIO investigates
The police watchdog is investigating a B.C. highway chase involving a tractor flying a protest banner against sexual orientation and gender identity programs in schools, something the province's attorney general called a "fringe" and "hateful" issue inflamed by the B.C. Conservatives. Surrey police said Sunday that one person was taken into custody after the tractor crashed with a cruiser and rolled on Highway 1.

AG blames B.C. Conservatives after SOGI protest tractor crash, IIO investigates

One person in police custody after tractor rolls over on Highway 1 in Surrey

One person in police custody after tractor rolls over on Highway 1 in Surrey
One person is in police custody after a tractor rolled over on Surrey's Highway 1. BC Highway Patrol members encountered a person driving a tractor on Highway 1 at approximately 12:35pm on Saturday.  

One person in police custody after tractor rolls over on Highway 1 in Surrey

Avian flu detected at 2 Abbotsford farms

Avian flu detected at 2 Abbotsford farms
Avian flu has been identified at two more commercial poultry farms in Abbotsford. Figures from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency show there have been 44 B-C outbreaks of avian flu since October 20th.

Avian flu detected at 2 Abbotsford farms

Rogers Sugar seeks mediation to end strike

Rogers Sugar seeks mediation to end strike
A statement from the company says it has applied to the BC Labour Relations Board in the hope that mediation can break the impasse in the contract talks. One-hundred-and-38 members of the Public and Private Workers of Canada Local 8 have been off the job since September 28th -- and Rogers Sugar says the union has agreed to the mediation application.

Rogers Sugar seeks mediation to end strike

Federal policing watchdog probing B.C. RCMP unit experiencing 'significant delays'

Federal policing watchdog probing B.C. RCMP unit experiencing 'significant delays'
In an investigation update this week, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP says it has received "little information or records" since July from the police force's E Division, headquartered in Surrey, B.C.

Federal policing watchdog probing B.C. RCMP unit experiencing 'significant delays'

Right-wing politics threatens sunny partnerships at EU-Canada Summit, warns expert

Right-wing politics threatens sunny partnerships at EU-Canada Summit, warns expert
The leaders of Canada and the European Union wrapped up a two-day summit in Newfoundland on Friday with a flurry of partnership announcements on green energy, raw minerals and research funding. Substantive negotiations are complete surrounding Canada's bid to join Horizon Europe, the EU's $100-billion scientific research program, the two parties said in a joint statement on Friday. They are working toward a "prompt signature and implementation" of an official deal, the statement said.  

Right-wing politics threatens sunny partnerships at EU-Canada Summit, warns expert