With one of his sons in a Gaza hospital, Toronto resident Nahed El-Khalidy said the recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is good news, though it came too late to save his daughter香蕉视频直播檚 life.
El-Khalidy said his daughter Caroline, 27, was killed Monday when an Israeli airstrike hit a building near her location in Gaza. The blast, which left his 17-year-old son Mahmoud seriously injured, came one day after the teenager was turned back at the Egyptian border as he tried with other family members to escape to Canada.
He said his son needs medical care that isn香蕉视频直播檛 currently available in Gaza amid shortages of medicine and electricity, and he wants the Canadian government to help.
香蕉视频直播淗e needs surgery urgently, now,香蕉视频直播� El-Khalidy said in an interview Wednesday. 香蕉视频直播淗e needs oxygen and there香蕉视频直播檚 no oxygen 香蕉视频直播� he can香蕉视频直播檛 open his eyes, he can香蕉视频直播檛 move his hands.香蕉视频直播�
The four-day truce announced Wednesday will free dozens of Israeli hostages held by militants as well as Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. It will also bring a large influx of aid to the besieged territory. The logistics of the ceasefire, expected to begin Thursday morning, were still being worked out late Wednesday.
香蕉视频直播淚t will be good,香蕉视频直播� El-Khalidy said of the ceasefire, adding that it will make it easier for people to bring water and medicine to hospital patients like his son.
El-Khalidy, an accountant who worked as a university professor in Gaza before moving to Canada three years ago, said all his family members 香蕉视频直播� except for Mahmoud 香蕉视频直播� were on a list of people with Canadian ties allowed to cross into Egypt Sunday.
A Canadian permanent resident, El-Khalidy said he had contacted Global Affairs and was told that his son should go to the border anyway, and that Canadian officials would help him cross with his family.
However, El-Khalidy said the Egyptians refused to allow Mahmoud to cross and wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 allow the others to enter without a bribe. 香蕉视频直播淭hey tried to return all my family to Gaza,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎t last, my wife had to pay money to some Egyptian soldiers at the border to allow her and my daughters to enter.香蕉视频直播�
Caroline and one of El-Khalidy香蕉视频直播檚 other sons, Mohammed, stayed behind with Mahmoud, as did their six children. He said Mohammed and several of the children were also injured in the blast.
The oldest of Caroline香蕉视频直播檚 three children, a six-year-old girl, was the most seriously injured and is also in hospital, El-Khalidy said. He said he spoke with the child yesterday by phone and she asked him why he hadn香蕉视频直播檛 yet brought her to Canada. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 afraid, she香蕉视频直播檚 scared,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He said he wasn香蕉视频直播檛 able to reach family members in Gaza Wednesday, and the last time he spoke with them, he was told the Israeli military had ordered everyone to leave the hospital where his son was being treated. 香蕉视频直播淲hat will happen with my son and my grandchildren? It is very horrible,香蕉视频直播� he said.
El-Khalidy said his wife and six of his children who crossed into Egypt now have to come up with $17,000 香蕉视频直播� money his family doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have 香蕉视频直播� for airfare to Canada.
He said the United States and Australia have done more to help family members of their residents to leave Gaza, and he wants Canada to do the same. 香蕉视频直播淚 need the Canadian government to bring my kids, my sons, my daughters here immediately,香蕉视频直播� he said.
Global Affairs did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday afternoon.
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