The Canadian government has received assurances there will be windows to evacuate Canadian nationals from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, a government source told Radio-Canada.
The source, who is directly involved in efforts to evacuate Canadians, cautioned that the situation is fluid and unforeseen events could affect timelines for getting Canadians out of Gaza.
CBC News is not naming the source because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Global Affairs Canada says it is in contact with at least 499 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and family members who have been trapped in the besieged enclave for nearly a month.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly tweeted Thursday evening that she received assurances from Israel’s foreign minister that Canadians and their families will be able to leave Gaza in the coming days. She also added that Egypt’s foreign minister has confirmed his country’s cooperation in efforts to evacuate Canadians stuck in Gaza.
The news of Canadians possibly being allowed to leave Gaza starting Sunday comes as frustration grows about the Canadian government’s lack of success to date on this issue.
For the first time since the onset of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, hundreds of foreign nationals received approval to leave Gaza this week as a result of ongoing negotiations involving Egypt, Israel and Hamas. Qatar is mediating these negotiations.
The Hamas-run Gaza border authority released lists on Thursday and Friday of foreign nationals from more than a dozen countries who have been approved to depart through the Rafah border crossing.
Nationals from G7 allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, have all made those lists, but no Canadians have received approval to date.
Defence Minister Bill Blair insisted Friday the evacuation of Canadians from Gaza is a priority for the Canadian government.
“Our foreign affairs minister has been in the region twice and she’s worked very extensively with all of the countries,” Blair told reporters Friday. “She and I were on the phone very late last night talking to a number of people that we believe can facilitate the safe evacuation of Canadians from the Gaza region.”
Egypt said this week it will help evacuate “about 7,000” foreign and dual nationals from Gaza.
