Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller is “fed up” that people linked to Canadians are still prevented from leaving the besieged Gaza Strip.
Ottawa last month began accepting applications to reunite up to a thousand people who are in the Palestinian territory with extended family members in Canada.
Canada has provided an initial list of “pre-authorized” people to Israel and Egypt, who jointly control the only border crossing from which people can exit the Gaza Strip, at Rafah.
Questioned Wednesday in Ottawa, Minister Miller admitted that there was perhaps “some apprehension on the ground as to whether we should let these people out.” But he believes that it is a humanitarian gesture and he said he was “extremely frustrated” by the slowness in this file.
Mr. Miller had already indicated that he was prepared to show flexibility regarding the maximum number of people who could benefit from this exceptional program. But he said in the House on Tuesday that it was “very difficult” to expand the program if no one can actually cross the border.
The minister said he was studying diplomatic options and wanted to explore them before speaking further publicly.
“I don’t want to create a system that harbors false hope, but I also don’t want to give up and not try,” Miller said. It’s really frustrating and it’s obviously a matter of life and death for the families involved. »
If people on the Canadian government’s list manage to cross the border at Rafah, they will still have to undergo screening before being allowed to then board a flight to Canada.
Mr. Miller’s office did not say when the list was provided to officials on the ground, or how many names were currently on it.
The Gaza Strip has been under near-constant bombardment since the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, and humanitarian supplies have been severely limited.
Officials in Hamas-controlled territory say more than 27,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past four months.
Israel declared war on Hamas after its militants stormed into the country on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.