A total of 59 people connected to Canada finally made it out of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Ottawa confirmed, as the federal government worked to get hundreds of Canadians out of the besieged Palestinian territory.
Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly announced the successful passage of a first group of Canadians into Egypt on Tuesday morning in a video message from Tokyo, where she was meeting with her G7 counterparts to discuss the deadly month-old war between Israel and Hamas.
香蕉视频直播淚 have good news to share, a bit of light in dark times,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 know families and loved ones have been waiting anxiously. Finally, the first group of Canadians were evacuated out of Gaza.香蕉视频直播�
By the end of the day, Global Affairs Canada confirmed that 59 Canadians, permanent residents and family members had crossed the Rafah border into Egypt 香蕉视频直播� a passage out that countries including Canada have been demanding for weeks.
香蕉视频直播淐anada does not determine when or how many persons can cross each day,香蕉视频直播� the department said in a late afternoon statement.
香蕉视频直播淎s the situation is quite fluid and unpredictable, Canadians should be prepared for significant delays at the Rafah border.香蕉视频直播�
It said Canadian officials were on the Egyptian side of the border to welcome those who are leaving and facilitate their transportation to Cairo.
Those who cross over are allowed to stay in Egypt for a maximum of three days.
The department had said in a statement on Monday that the Israeli military has assured Canada more than 400 of its citizens would be able to cross 香蕉视频直播渋n the coming days.香蕉视频直播�
The breakthrough on Tuesday came after Canada had told citizens trapped Gaza they could be allowed out over the weekend, but attacks by Israel closed the Rafah crossing 香蕉视频直播� the only way out for foreign nationals 香蕉视频直播� until Monday.
The Gaza border authority evacuation list, as presented on a widely circulated Google spreadsheet, showed about 20 people listed as Canadian citizens were eligible to leave on Tuesday, along with another 60 people connected to Canada.
Global Affairs said Canadians who were on the 香蕉视频直播渁pproved list for crossing香蕉视频直播� were contacted, and Canadian officials are reaching out directly to people on the list who did not cross on Tuesday.
The document also contains names of other foreign nationals who have been granted permission to leave, hailing from countries including France, the Philippines, Ukraine, Moldova, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Tuesday that while it is welcome news that the first Canadians have left, 香蕉视频直播渢here are hundreds to get out.香蕉视频直播�
He pledged that his government would keep working 香蕉视频直播渦ntil all Canadians and their families are out of Gaza.香蕉视频直播�
Defence Minister Bill Blair told reporters 香蕉视频直播渋t香蕉视频直播檚 not anticipated that the military will be required香蕉视频直播� to bring Canadians who escaped back to Ottawa, because, 香蕉视频直播淭here are commercial flights available.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭here are a number of measures that have already been put in place by our consular officials there to provide the necessary support, shelter, food, accommodation, then assistance in arranging for transport home,香蕉视频直播� he told reporters on Tuesday.
Blair said Canada is expecting those fleeing Gaza to pay for flights on their own, but he added that if people are unable to afford the cost, Global Affairs Canada can tap into what he described as 香蕉视频直播減rovisions香蕉视频直播� to assist them.
Canada sent military flights to Tel Aviv to help Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families leave Israel in the days following the surprise attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, which left 1,400 Israelis dead and saw another 240 people taken hostage.
Israel retaliated by launching a month-long bombing campaign, which the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says has left more than 10,000 people dead. It reports that more than 40 per cent of those killed have been children. Canada has listed Hamas as a terrorist entity for more than two decades.
Blair defended the decision not to provide military assistance to Canadians leaving the Palestinian territory even though it was provided to those fleeing Israel.
He said Air Canada had no longer been flying into Tel Aviv香蕉视频直播檚 Ben Gurion Airport in the wake of the attacks, and that significant limits had been placed on the ability of commercial flights to operate.
Simply put, Blair said, Canada had not been asked to help with evacuation flights out of Egypt because commercial flights remained accessible.
International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen told reporters on Tuesday that Canada was 香蕉视频直播渧ery much encouraged香蕉视频直播� by fact the first group of Canadians were able to cross, and hoped more would continue to do so in the days ahead.
香蕉视频直播淚 believe this will build the momentum to get the rest of them out, now that we香蕉视频直播檝e worked on the modalities to ensure safe passage.香蕉视频直播�
READ ALSO:
READ ALSO:
