Canada announced that it has decided to withdraw the children of its diplomats from Israel due to escalating fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
The decision follows increased tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as Hezbollah, which has raised concerns about a potential wider-scale conflict in an already volatile region amidst ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza that have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis.
The situation worsened notably after the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau in Iran, and Hezbollah’s military leader Fouad Shukr in Beirut, leading to threats of retaliation against Israel.
In response, Canada’s Global Affairs Ministry, in a statement reported by the Canadian Press, agreed to temporarily relocate the diplomats’ children and their caregivers to a safe third country.
The ministry clarified that there are no dependents living with the diplomats stationed in Ramallah in the West Bank and Beirut, according to Reuters.
Canada also issued a travel advisory last Saturday, warning its citizens against travelling to Israel due to the ongoing conflict and the unpredictable security situation. Citizens were further urged to avoid travelling to Gaza and the West Bank.
Despite these developments, the ministry confirmed that the Canadian embassies in Tel Aviv and Beirut and the representative office to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank “continue to operate at full capacity and provide essential services to Canadians.”
Israel’s war on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 39,677 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, with over 91,645 others injured. Additionally, more than 10,000 individuals are estimated to be buried under the debris of bombed buildings.
Hospital authorities report that two Israeli airstrikes have recently killed at least eight people in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
