Five Canadians killed in Israel, Global Affairs confirm | CityNews Calgary

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed the loss of life of a fifth Canadian in Israel after a sequence of assaults by Hamas militants close to the border with the Gaza Strip.

Three different Canadians who have been in Israel when the assaults occurred final Saturday are nonetheless lacking, officers stated Sunday.

Global Affairs didn’t present particulars of the fifth one that died or those that are lacking, citing privateness causes.

“We are very focused on addressing the cases of the three missing persons, who we continue to try to locate and bring back to safety in Canada,” Julie Sunday, an assistant deputy minister with Global Affairs Canada, stated at a media briefing in Ottawa.

Canada considers Hamas a terrorist group, and Canadian leaders have decried the violence it waged final week close to the Palestinian territory.

The authorities remains to be working to rise up to 300 Canadians and their family members out of the 365-square-kilometre coastal stretch, Sunday stated, as Israel gears up for an anticipated floor invasion.

A plan to permit overseas nationals to depart the territory through the border crossing with Egypt fell by means of on Saturday.

“Nobody got through that gate yesterday,” Sunday stated, calling the preparations to permit passage by means of the crossing on the Palestinian metropolis of Rafah “incredibly complex.”

Alexandre Leveque, one other Global Affairs assistant deputy minister, stated reaching Rafah might be a problem in itself.

“Hamas is probably playing some obstruction inside of Gaza,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Israel has blockaded gas, electrical energy, meals and water from getting into the territory, impeding transportation and communication.

Another 250 Canadians, everlasting residents and their family members might be able to go away the West Bank territory by bus to Jordan subsequent week, officers stated. However, they warned that crossings, in addition to Israeli-controlled checkpoints in Jerusalem, are in a state of flux.

“The gate has been opening and closing at different hours, based on what’s going on in the region,” Sunday stated, referring to a key Jordanian crossing.

Sunday stated Canadians must also keep away from journey to Lebanon, the place there have been violent clashes alongside the border with Israel.

More than 1,000 Canadians have already left Israel through army planes sure for Athens, officers stated. Two planes departed on Sunday, with two extra slated for Monday.