The death toll among Canadians has grown to five amidst the ongoing discord between Israel and Hamas, announced the Canadian Federal Government on Sunday. On top of this, Canadian citizens in volatile Lebanon have now been counselled to consider departure.
Previously standing at four casualties as of Saturday, the government has now confirmed the rise in losses. Meanwhile, officials diligently persist in their search for three other Canadians still unaccounted for.
Julie Sunday, Global Affairs Canada’s assistant deputy minister for consular security and emergency management, disclosed these updates during a detailed briefing held in Ottawa. This unfolded as a protest over the crisis took centre stage on Parliament Hill.
Sunday mournfully acknowledged the most recent confirmed casualty was formally amongst the count of missing Canadians. “It was always a possibility that those missing would eventually be confirmed deceased. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this grave outcome. We remain resolute in resolving the cases of the trio of missing persons, striving to ensure their safe return to Canada,” she stated.
Within the past week, the volatile region saw a surge of hostility when Hamas militants kidnapped hostages, triggering an onslaught of retaliatory air strikes by Israel in the Gaza strip. The ensuing turmoil has left a troubling aftermath of death, injury and displacement in thousands.
Julie Sunday enlightened the public about the tireless endeavours of the expert Canadian team sent to assist with hostage negotiation. Although she withheld comment on whether any hostages were Canadian, she informed that the team is coordinating with counterparts from their base in Tel Aviv.
A significant number of persons are currently missing in Israel, creating an environment of collective effort. Sunday acknowledged the benefits, stating, “The broad discussions enable us to obtain real-time information, a crucial factor in resolving these cases.”
Speaking of those seeking refuge, an evacuation process, orchestrated by the Canadian Armed Forces, was underway. This involved a series of military airlift operations that transported around 1000 Canadians and their families from Israel to Athens by Sunday evening.
Furthermore, Global Affairs Canada has been vigilantly responsive, handling more than 800 inquiries within the last day, ans approximately 4,200 since the onset of the crisis.
However, challenges persistently plague the region of the West Bank and Gaza. The government currently supports a daunting number of more than 3,300 Canadians and permanent residents in Israel, and more than 450 in the West Bank and Gaza.
In light of the potentiality of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground offensive in Gaza, the urgency for civilians to evacuate is palpable. Despite the anticipated departure through Egypt falling apart last Saturday, efforts are focused on securing a safe exit via a humanitarian corridor.
Meanwhile, meticulous plans for ground transportation through Jordan for those in the West Bank are underway.
The briefing concluded with a stern travel warning for Lebanon, urging its 14,500 Canadian citizens and permanent residents to consider leaving due to increasing instability and security risks. This advisory was based on media reports of activities at the border and military assessments predicting potential spillover of the conflict.
Amidst her visit through the region, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly engaged in critical dialogues with the Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian and Qatari foreign ministers, along with the commissioner general for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in a bid to navigate a peaceable resolution to the highly fraught situation.
