Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
National

No Canadians on Rafah crossing list as Israel raids Gaza hospital

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 15 Nov, 2023 10:47 AM
  • No Canadians on Rafah crossing list as Israel raids Gaza hospital

No more Canadians have been approved to leave the Gaza Strip on Wednesday via the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, as hundreds of people connected to Canada continue to wait for help to leave.

A total of 356 Canadians, permanent residents and family members have been able to leave the besieged Palestinian territory so far.

No one connected to Canada had been cleared to leave on Tuesday, and the last group of 10 people made it across on Monday. 

Global Affairs Canada said in a statement to media late Tuesday afternoon that the Canadian government is in touch with 390 people who are still in Gaza.

People who cross over are allowed to stay in Egypt for a maximum of three days, and Canadian officials are waiting on the Egyptian side of the border to help with travel, accommodation, food and basic necessities. 

Global Affairs said the Canadian government is helping with onward travel at travellers' own expense, and it is connecting people with organizations who may be able to provide financial help. 

"Canada does not determine when or how many persons can cross each day. As the situation is quite fluid and unpredictable, Canadians should be prepared for significant delays and unexpected closures at the Rafah border," the department said. 

"Canada continues to engage all relevant parties to ensure that Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their eligible family members presently in Gaza can exit safely and promptly. We continue to communicate directly with Canadians, asking them to have their travel documents at hand and be ready to travel on short notice."

Israel declared war against Hamas after its militants killed 1,200 people on Oct. 7, including hundreds of civilians, and took about 240 people hostage.

Health officials in the Hamas-controlled territory say weeks of retaliatory airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip have now killed more than 11,200 people.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged on Tuesday that Israel must use "maximum restraint" to protect civilian life in the brutal war it is waging on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"I have been clear that the price of justice cannot be the continued suffering of all Palestinian civilians. Even wars have rules," Trudeau said at an event in Vancouver.

He said the violence urgently needs to stop, "so that Palestinians can get access to life-saving medical services, food, fuel and water, so that all hostages can be released, so that all Canadians and other nationals can leave Gaza."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Trudeau on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying "while Israel is doing everything to keep civilians out of harm's way, Hamas is doing everything to keep them in harm's way."

Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals as cover for its fighters, alleging that Hamas has set up its main command centre in and beneath Shifa hospital, without providing visual evidence. Both Hamas and Hospital staff deny the Israeli allegations.

Israel has refused to allow fuel shipments into Gaza since Hamas's cross-border attack on Oct. 7. Israel says Hamas will divert any fuel shipments for military use.

Palestinians trapped in Gaza are struggling to survive without electricity or running water and are rationing food as Israel's siege of the territory extends into its second month.

The Canadian government has faced increased pressure domestically from the National Council of Canadian Muslims, refugee settlement agencies, opposition members and municipal politicians to call for a ceasefire, in a bid to safely evacuate civilians and deliver humanitarian aid.

Trudeau has instead called for "a sustained humanitarian pause" in the bombardments.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Grocers called back to Parliament to testify about plans to stabilize prices

Grocers called back to Parliament to testify about plans to stabilize prices
A House of Commons committee is asking the heads of Canada's major grocery chains to appear before MPs and explain their plans to stabilize food prices. The agriculture committee passed an NDP motion on Thursday to invite the grocery executives, or summon them if necessary, to testify about the measures their companies are taking to address food inflation.

Grocers called back to Parliament to testify about plans to stabilize prices

Over 1600 weekend incidents: VPD

Over 1600 weekend incidents: VPD
Vancouver police say officers responded to more than one-thousand-600 incidents over the weekend, fuelled in part by multiple demonstrations across the city. Sergeant Steve Addison says recent geopolitical events have driven the protests, and police will continue to deploy extra officers to manage the situations as they arise.  

Over 1600 weekend incidents: VPD

Pedestrian death in Kelowna

Pedestrian death in Kelowna
Mounties are investigating the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle in Kelowna's Rutland neighbourhood over the weekend. Police say they believe the death on Saturday afternoon is related to an earlier event where officers responded to a complaint of a group of teens using bear spray on people. 

Pedestrian death in Kelowna

B.C. Premier Eby says Surrey must talk with province about police transition costs

B.C. Premier Eby says Surrey must talk with province about police transition costs
B.C. Premier David Eby says it's time for the City of Surrey and the province to talk about the extra money the city says it needs to replace the RCMP with a local police force.  Eby says the provincial government's $150-million contribution to cover transition costs remains on the table, but there will be no more.   

B.C. Premier Eby says Surrey must talk with province about police transition costs

Body found in Langley explosion

Body found in Langley explosion
A body has been found by firefighters at the scene of an explosion in Langley and the province's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is now investigating. Mounties and firefighters responded to an explosion at a house in rural Langley on Sunday afternoon.

Body found in Langley explosion

Five youth, one adult taken to hospitals after school bus rolls over north of Calgary

Five youth, one adult taken to hospitals after school bus rolls over north of Calgary
Six people have been transported to hospital after a collision involving a school bus in central Alberta. An RCMP officer from Didsbury, about 82 kilometres north of Calgary, came across the school bus rollover on Highway 2A at Township Road 320, police said Monday. 

Five youth, one adult taken to hospitals after school bus rolls over north of Calgary