As 1K Canadians leave Lebanon, thousands more are still eligible, officials say – National
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, more than 1,000 Canadians have left Lebanon over the past nine days on commercial flights, with more seats available this week.
Since September 29, a total of 1,162 people, including Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members, have flown out of Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada said in an update Monday evening.
The federal government began organizing commercially-assisted travel for Canadians seeking to leave Lebanon late last month amid heightened conflict between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
Global Affairs books many seats on commercial flights. On Monday, one flight carried 104 Canadians.
Additional flights, with nearly 600 seats available, are scheduled to depart from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The ongoing crisis has made communication very difficult throughout Lebanon,” GAC said.
“Despite these challenges, Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Center in Ottawa continues to operate, 24/7, reaching Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families through all available channels.”
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated after a deadly wave of bombings in Lebanon last month in which explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed scores of people and injured thousands, including many members of Hezbollah.
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The Lebanese government and Hezbollah blamed Israel for the remote attack. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon have opened up a rapidly escalating global offensive against Hezbollah terrorists who have continued to fire rockets into Israel since the Gaza conflict began on October 7, 2023.
As the violence escalated, the GAC said more than 5,500 Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members in Lebanon have expressed an interest in leaving the country.
Of these, 4,687 people have so far been deemed eligible, documented, and given travel options, GAC said.
“All the eligible travelers we have contacted about certain things have left or will do so in the coming days.”
As of Monday, 25,300 Canadians are registered as Lebanese.
Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon Stefanie McCollum says the “situation is still volatile” and violence in the country has escalated in the past week.
“This is a tense, violent situation and we don’t want Canadians to be stuck in it,” McCollum said in an interview with Mercedes Stephenson. West Block that broadcast on Sunday.
If necessary, the Canadian Armed Forces are also preparing to withdraw troops, but McCollum said that is “a last resort.”
“What we are saying to Canadians is that you should not rely on that last system. You should go now while commercial options are available before it gets worse. “
— via files from Global News’ Sean Boynton and The Associated Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
