Canadians denied permission to leave Gaza Strip Thursday, Ottawa urges ‘humanitarian pause’

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Canadians and permanent residents of Canada appear to have been denied permission to leave the Gaza Strip on the second day of departures for foreigners from the territory under siege by Israel.

The Canadian government said as far as it’s aware, no citizens or permanent residents made it out of the territory Thursday.

The Department of Global Affairs said, however, it holds out hope for daily departures of Canadians in the future, without providing any specifics to support this prediction. It said Canada has one of the largest contingents of nationals in Gaza.

“We have provided to regional partners a list of close to 450 eligible Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their family members who want to leave Gaza. We expect further crossings daily over the coming days,” the department said in a statement. It said Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has been in close contact with her counterparts from Egypt and Israel on the matter.

On Thursday, 342 Palestinians with foreign passports, 21 injured in the fighting and an additional 21 companions left Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, according to Wael Abu Omar, a spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority.

At least 335 people with foreign passports and 76 injured and their companions were evacuated on Wednesday, he said.

Israel has been conducting a fierce offensive in Gaza since a bloody, cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.

The lack of action on Canadian evacuations is drawing harsh criticism from those with loved ones trapped in the enclave.

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Nael Alhalees counts 33 extended family members who are Canadians currently in Gaza, including his wife and two children. Some have been injured in Israeli air strike. Fifteen relatives have died since the beginning of the war.

With no electricity and little water, his wife and children drink with sips, and are unable to bathe. They eat dry food. They have all lost considerable weight.

“The Canadian government has let us down,” Mr. Alhalees said in an interview from Burlington, Ont.

So far only one Canadian has left Gaza since the Rafah crossing opened – on Wednesday – according to Global Affairs.

Mr. Alhalees pointed to the disparity between Canadians evacuated from Israel on Ottawa’s military planes and Canadians unable to leave Gaza.

“Are we considered second-class Canadians?” he asked. “As a Canadian, I expect the Canadian government to demand a ceasefire, and arrange for the Red Cross to escort all Canadians” to safety.

Some Canadians worry they will be unable to leave Gaza even if they are given permission. Samah Al Sabbagh’s 73-year-old father, Akram Al Sabbagh, is in Rimal, to the north of Gaza City. Bombing has damaged the road south, Ms. Al Sabbagh said, making it impossible to leave.

“Even when it’s time for the list of Canadians to be on the border, my dad can’t move from the north to the south,” she said.

“We keep hearing, ‘Wait, wait.’ But how long do we have to wait? Every day is a new risk, new bombing,” she said. “Why is it that Canadians are the last ones to pass through?”

Global Affairs said it has plans in place to receive Canadians, permanent residents and family members once they cross through Rafah, and to provide them with “any support necessary, including documentation and onward travel to Canada.”

NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson raised the plight of Edmontonian Ahmed Alheluo, who is trapped in Gaza, ”recovering from surgery and unable to transport himself.” She said he is struggling.

“First he was told by Canadian authorities to stay where he is, then to evacuate to Rafah, then to stay put again as Canadians may not be allowed to cross into Egypt,” she said. The NDP MP urged the Canadian government to call for a ceasefire.

Pam Damoff, parliamentary secretary to the Foreign Affairs Minister, said Ottawa is urging a “humanitarian pause … to get Canadians out, to get humanitarian aid in, and for all hostages to be released.”

U.S. officials said 79 Americans were among those who have departed so far. The U.S. has said it is trying to evacuate 400 Americans with their families.

The New York Times reported evacuees over the two days included nationals of Bulgaria, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan and elsewhere, as well as employees from the International Committee of the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders. Croatia’s state HRT television says 22 Croatian citizens have successfully left the Gaza Strip through Rafah.

With a report from Associated Press