Canada announced on Monday that it will issue visas to 5,000 Gazans, more than it had previously pledged. The visas for Canadians’ relatives residing in Gaza represent a five-fold increase over the 1,000 temporary residence visas granted under a special program established by Canada in December.
Marc Miller, Immigration Minister, stated, “While movement out of Gaza is not currently possible, the situation may change at any time. With this cap increase, we will be ready to help more people as the situation evolves”.
According to a Marc Miller spokesperson, 448 Gazans have been awarded temporary visas, 254 of which are under a policy unrelated to the special visa program, and 41 have already arrived in Canada.
An Israeli attack late Sunday night set fire to a tent camp in Rafah, provoking an outcry from global leaders including from Canada.
In a statement, Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly stated, “We are horrified by strikes that killed Palestinian civilians in Rafah”.
“Canada does not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah”, Joly continued.
Joly went on to say, “This level of human suffering must come to an end. We demand an immediate ceasefire”, echoing global leaders who called for the implementation of a World Court order to halt Israel’s operations.
Canada has consistently supported calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, including at the United Nations.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the strike in Rafah was not intended to result in civilian casualties and that something had gone tragically wrong.
Israel’s military, which is attempting to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, said it was investigating.
According to the local health ministry, Israel’s strike in Gaza has killed around 36,000 Palestinians, while the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA estimates that 1.7 million people, or more than 75% of Gaza’s population, have been displaced.
Israel initiated its military operation after Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israeli villages on October 7, killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 captives.
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