Close X
Tuesday, December 3, 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

Canada awaiting news of possible deal between Israel, Hamas to release hostages: Joly

Canada awaiting news of possible deal between Israel, Hamas to release hostages: Joly
The temporary ceasefire deal could bring the first pause in fighting in a devastating six-week war. The conflict started Oct. 7 when Hamas militants killed an estimated 1,200 people in Israel and captured roughly 240 hostages.

Canada awaiting news of possible deal between Israel, Hamas to release hostages: Joly

1 in hospital in Langley shooting

1 in hospital in Langley shooting
At approximately 7:30 this morning, Langley RCMP received reports of shots heard in the 20100 block of 84 Avenue. Police located an individual at the scene suffering from what is believed to be a gunshot wound.

1 in hospital in Langley shooting

Statistics Canada says annual inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in October

Statistics Canada says annual inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in October
Excluding gasoline, Statistics Canada says the consumer price index was up 3.6 per cent for October, following a 3.7 per cent increase for September. Prices for goods were up 1.6 per cent, while prices for services were up 4.6 per cent, largely due to higher prices for travel tours, rent and property taxes and other special charges.

Statistics Canada says annual inflation rate slowed to 3.1% in October

CRA claws back $458 million in pandemic-era wage subsidies after partial audit

CRA claws back $458 million in pandemic-era wage subsidies after partial audit
The Canada Revenue Agency has denied or adjusted $458 million in funds disbursed to employers through a pandemic-era wage subsidy program as a result of a partially completed auditing process. The agency is releasing a report Monday that offers detailed findings of its audits of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy Program.

CRA claws back $458 million in pandemic-era wage subsidies after partial audit

VPD release suspect photo in assault

VPD release suspect photo in assault
Vancouver police have released a photo of a man who they say assaulted a woman and then pointed a gun at a group of people at a SkyTrain station in late August.  Police say officers who responded to the incident the evening of August 24th were unable to locate the man or the victims.

VPD release suspect photo in assault

Runaway barge floats in English Bay

Runaway barge floats in English Bay
People in Vancouver may have experienced déjà vu this weekend as a runaway barge floated in waters of English Bay before it was brought under control. The empty barge had broken free of its mooring buoy and a video posted to YouTube shows it floating just a few metres away from shore yesterday.

Runaway barge floats in English Bay