Close X
Friday, September 20, 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

Visa processing in India will be impacted: Canadian Immigration Minister

Visa processing in India will be impacted: Canadian Immigration Minister
Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that visa processing in India will be "inevitably impacted" after Ottawa evacuated 41 of its diplomats following a diplomatic spat with New Delhi over the killing of pro-Khalistani hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar. With India maintaining that it seeks parity in diplomatic presence, Canada said that only 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents would be stationed in India from now onwards.

Visa processing in India will be impacted: Canadian Immigration Minister

Premiers ask federal government for COVID-19 small business loan extension

Premiers ask federal government for COVID-19 small business loan extension
Canada's premiers have sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking the federal government to extend the repayment period for a year for interest-free loans given to small businesses and non-profits during the pandemic. The federal government's Canada Emergency Business Account offered interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Premiers ask federal government for COVID-19 small business loan extension

Canada 'firm and steadfast' in call for two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians

Canada 'firm and steadfast' in call for two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada remains "firm and steadfast" in its commitment to a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He says the Middle East, and the world, needs both a Palestinian state and Israel to exist alongside each other in peace, safety and prosperity.

Canada 'firm and steadfast' in call for two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians

Trudeau says India's move against Canadian diplomats should concern the world

Trudeau says India's move against Canadian diplomats should concern the world
India's move to reduce the presence of Canadian diplomats in its country are "contrary to international law," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday, and the rest of the world should be concerned about its consequences. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Thursday that Canada had removed most of its diplomatic presence from India after New Delhi threatened to strip diplomatic immunities from them and their families.

Trudeau says India's move against Canadian diplomats should concern the world

Hit and run in North Vancouver

Hit and run in North Vancouver
Mounties in North Vancouver say they are looking for witnesses and footage as they investigate a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian with serious injuries on Wednesday night. North Vancouver R-C-M-P say they were called to the scene after passersby found a North Vancouver man in his late 40s lying injured on the road. 

Hit and run in North Vancouver

High school student arrested, knife found

High school student arrested, knife found
Police in New Westminster say a student at a city high school was arrested Wednesday after being found in possession of a knife. Police say an officer was at New Westminster Secondary on Wednesday morning for an unrelated reason, and told there was a student with a knife who was causing a disturbance. 

High school student arrested, knife found