Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of reports that one Canadian has died and two others are missing in the wake of an attack on Israel by Hamas forces, marking the latest escalation in the decades-long conflict.
In an update shared Sunday afternoon, the agency said Canadian officials in Israel are in contact with local authorities in an effort to confirm those reports and gather more information.
Global Affairs Canada says there are currently 1,419 registered Canadians in Israel and 492 in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but cautioned that such registration is voluntary and provides an incomplete picture of Canadians abroad.
The agency did not specify whether the reported death and the two Canadians believed to be missing had been registered in Israel or the Palestinian territories.
On Saturday morning, Hamas fighters launched an unexpected attack in Israel(opens in a new tab) that has left at least 700 people dead including 44 soldiers, officials say. The attack has also included the abduction of soldiers and civilians.
Israel retaliated by intensifying its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, striking more than 800 targets including residential buildings.
More than 400 people have been killed in Gaza, the Gaza Health Ministry said, including 78 children and 41 women. Thousands have been injured on both sides.
Israeli officials said security forces have killed 400 militants and captured dozens more.
Hamas says the attack is in response to Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and aggression against those living in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli government has stated that it is at war, giving the green light for “significant military steps” to respond to the attack(opens in a new tab).
As of Sunday, Global Affairs Canada said it has responded to 429 inquiries since the beginning of the conflict related to travel advice and advisories for Israel and Gaza, the status of the airport and flights, the overall security situation and options for leaving the country.
Canadian officials have decried the attack by Hamas, with Prime Minister Trudeau saying in a statement(opens in a new tab) Sunday that, “Canada unequivocally condemns these terrible attacks in the strongest possible terms and reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to defend itself, in accordance with international law.
“We call for the immediate release of those being held hostage and demand they be treated in accordance with international law. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and we are in touch with our international partners to restore peace and security in the region. We must all work to protect civilian life.”
Clips posted on social media in the wake of the attack showed unidentified hostages being paraded through Gaza in pickup trucks and cars.
Among the hostages, identified by friends and colleagues, is believed to be Vivian Silver, a Canadian Israeli peace activist.
She was reportedly taken as Hamas militants entered the community Be’eri on Israel’s border with Gaza. Silver, who is originally from Winnipeg, has worked closely with Palestinians and Israelis for years. She helped create an organization called Women Wage Peace, which aims to bring together Palestinian and Israeli women to advocate for a mutually binding non-violent agreement to end the conflict.
“I hope that both sides realize that nothing will come out of war, other than continued destruction,” Silver was quoted as saying in a 2021 Forbes article(opens in a new tab). “And that if our leaders care about their people, then they’re going to have to change the paradigm.”
Hamas leaders claim that they have taken hostage more than 130 people from inside Israel, and that these hostages are intended to be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, The Associated Press reports. The Israeli military has not confirmed this exact number, but said the number of captives is “significant.”
A B.C. man, Ben Mizrachi, has also been reported missing(opens in a new tab) in Israel.
There are reports of several international captives from Brazil and Mexico. American and British authorities are also investigating claims.
One former Canadian government hostage negotiator says the prisoners of war will become a sensitive and high-risk issue in this conflict going forward.
“Because of the human element and the emotions that it brings to it, in terms of fear of torture, the fear of uncertainty, family engagement and how they can be used and manipulated in the course of negotiation processes. So I think the hostage situation is one of the main concerns we have right now,” Calvin Chrustie told CTV National News.
In a series of posts on X, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly stated that she had spoken with counterparts in Israel, Jordan and Egypt, as well as with the Palestinian Authority, with the goal of co-ordinating de-escalation.
“Spoke with Dr. Riad Malki of the Palestinian Authority. I expressed condolences for the death of Palestinian civilians and reiterated our condemnation of Hamas’ terror attack on Israel,” Joly wrote in one post(opens in a new tab). “The violence must stop and the protection of civilians is paramount.”
On Sunday, funerals were held in Gaza for children killed in an Israeli airstrike.
As the conflict escalates, and children are added to the list of victims, aid groups are demanding both sides must follow the rules of war.
“We cannot stress this point enough – civilians are not part of this fight,” Sarah Davies, with the International Committee of the Red Cross, told CTV News Channel(opens in a new tab).
Global Affairs is urging Canadians on the ground in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to shelter in place and limit their movements, and to monitor local media for the latest information.
Due to the crisis in Israel, the government also warned that operations at land borders with Jordan could be affected.
Air Canada has suspended flights between Tel Aviv and airports in Toronto and Montreal(opens in a new tab). Global Affairs says other major airlines have also suspended flight service.
With files from the Associated Press and CTVNews.ca’s Matthew Talbot
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