maaxx.ca

OTTAWA –

The Canadian government says it has decided to withdraw the children of its diplomats and their guardians from Israel because of concerns about the spread of the war in the Middle East.

Global Affairs Canada said it has approved the temporary resettlement of the children and their guardians to a safe third country.

Embassy staff are expected to remain in Israel.

“The Embassy of Canada to Israel in Tel Aviv, the Embassy of Canada to Lebanon in Beirut and the Canadian Mission to the Palestinian Authority all remain fully operational and continue to provide essential services to Canadians, including consular services,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Diplomats stationed near Ramallah in the West Bank and in Beirut, Lebanon, have no dependents living with them.

“Staff at our missions in Lebanon and Ramallah remain on site and are regularly informed of the current situation and the measures taken by Global Affairs Canada,” the department said.

Tensions in the Middle East have fueled fears of all-out war following the assassination last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and a key Hamas political leader in Iran.

On Saturday, the government warned Canadians to avoid all travel to Israel due to the “ongoing regional armed conflict and the unpredictable security situation.”

The government also advises against travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and Lebanon.

The current conflict erupted on October 7, after Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 39,100 Palestinians have been killed during the war.

The Gaza Strip has been devastated by the conflict, which has also been marked by an unprecedented direct Iranian attack on Israel, as well as Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon, including on the capital Beirut.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan earlier this week to express his “deep concern” about the potential for escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as between Hezbollah and other Iran-aligned groups.

“The leaders stressed the urgent need to avoid further escalation, endangering the lives of civilians in the region,” the prime minister’s office said in a summary of Tuesday’s call.