OTTAWA: Canada announced on Monday that it will issue 5,000 visas to Gazans, surpassing its initial pledge, and expressed horror over an Israeli airstrike in Rafah that caused a fire, resulting in 45 deaths.
These visas for Canadians’ relatives in Gaza mark a significant increase from the 1,000 temporary resident visas previously allocated under a special program announced in December.
Read more: Palestinians In Rafah Burned Alive During Israeli Army Attack
Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated, “While movement out of Gaza is currently impossible, the situation may change at any time. This cap increase allows us to help more people as the situation evolves.”
A spokesperson for Miller noted that 448 Gazans had been issued temporary visas, including 254 under a separate policy, with 41 having arrived in Canada so far.
The Israeli airstrike on Sunday night ignited a fire in a tent camp in Rafah, drawing global condemnation, including from Canada.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said, “We are horrified by strikes that killed Palestinian civilians in Rafah,” and affirmed that Canada does not support the Israeli military operation in Rafah.
“This level of human suffering must end. We demand an immediate ceasefire,” Joly added, aligning with global leaders who urged compliance with a World Court order to halt Israel’s assault.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that the Rafah strike was not intended to harm civilians and acknowledged a tragic error. Israel’s military, focused on eliminating Hamas in Gaza, is investigating the incident.
The local health ministry reports nearly 36,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza due to Israel’s offensive, with over 1.7 million people, more than 75% of Gaza’s population, displaced according to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.
Israel’s military campaign began after Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages, based on Israeli counts.
