B.C. church group stranded amid escalating Israel-Hamas conflict | 24CA News
A gaggle from a British Columbia church that had been touring historic websites in Israel when Hamas fighters started killing civilians is struggling to discover a manner residence with the confusion of the warfare and a scarcity of help from the Canadian authorities.
Paul Olson, an govt pastor on the SouthRidge Fellowship Church in Langley, stated he woke Saturday to a ton of messages from church members on the tour saying they have been protected.
After listening to the news, Olson stated he was frightened, however was in a position to contact Brent Chapman, the pastor who was main the group of 25 on a tour in Masada, an historic fortress within the southern Israel.
But the following dilemma was methods to get them out, he stated.
“When it happened at the weekend, there was no support whatsoever from the Canadian Consulate. There was no support from Air Canada, they had no idea what they were supposed to do,” stated Olson. “And the Canadian government didn’t help at all.”
By Monday, the Canadian authorities had issued notices telling individuals to avoid the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, however Olson stated the group was nonetheless feeling “cut off.”
“They weren’t saying: Hey, here’s where you need to go. Here’s what you need to do,” added Olson.
In the times since Hamas launched bombs and despatched gunmen over the Israeli border, greater than 2,500 individuals have been killed on either side.
Olson stated their tour group first moved to northern Israel to get away from the preventing after which type a plan to get residence safely.
He stated they ultimately made it to the neighbouring nation of Jordan, hoping that they could discover a flight from there.
Olson stated they tried to achieve out to the federal government, however the workplace was closed as a result of Thanksgiving vacation and when the workplace lastly opened on Monday, their telephone calls nonetheless weren’t answered.
“So, it was really not very helpful,” stated Olson. “It was really disappointing.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated Thursday {that a} Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft that left Tel Aviv with 130 individuals on board has landed in Athens.
Olson stated the group is conscious that the Canadian authorities is airlifting individuals out of Israel, however the group doesn’t need to return to Israel to catch a flight residence.
“But they have not heard from the Canadian government at least at this point,” he stated.
He stated they’re unsure in the event that they’ll get on an Air Canada flight.
“It’s not a simple venture to get everybody out, right? And we’re not just going to send one or two at a time. We’re trying to get them all out at the same time.”
The SouthRidge Fellowship Church has been organizing journeys to Israel each 5 years to discover the historic websites whereas studying the place Jesus walked and born, he stated.
As of Thursday, there have been greater than 5,685 Canadians registered in Israel and 465 Canadians registered within the West Bank and Gaza. Global Affairs Canada has responded to 2,793 inquiries because the starting of the battle on Oct. 7.
— With recordsdata from The Associated Press
© 2023 The Canadian Press
