LANGIT7.ID-, Canada- – The Canadian government announced that it would issue visas to 5,000 Gazans. This number is higher than the thousand visas previously promised.
Visas for relatives of Canadians living in the enclave represent a five-fold increase from the 1,000 temporary resident visas granted under a special program Canada announced in December.
“Even though exit from Gaza is currently impossible, the situation can change at any time. “With this increase in numbers, we will be prepared to help more people as the situation evolves,” said Immigration Minister Marc Miller.
Spokesman Miller said 448 Gazans have been granted temporary visas, including 254 people under policies unrelated to the special visa program, and 41 people have arrived in Canada so far.
The increase in the visa program follows an Israeli airstrike Sunday evening that caused a fire at a tent camp in the southern Gaza town of Rafah and sparked protests from world leaders, including Canada.
“We are horrified by the attacks that killed Palestinian civilians in Rafah,” Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement, adding that Canada did not support the Israeli military operation in Rafah.
“Such human suffering must end immediately. We demand an immediate ceasefire,” Joly said, echoing world leaders who are calling for the implementation of the World Court order to end Israeli attacks.
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