Israeli military operation in Rafah is ‘completely unacceptable’: Joly
OTTAWA — Liberal ministers expressed disappointment and dismay Tuesday in response to Israel’s invasion of the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip — the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in the territory.
Canada’s foreign minister rebuked Israel for its military operation in Rafah, but said she’s holding out hope that ceasefire talks will prevail.
“An invasion of Rafah, which would endanger the lives of women and children and innocent civilians, is completely unacceptable,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told reporters on Parliament Hill.
The situation in the Palestinian territory is already catastrophic, and the vast majority of people in the city have already been displaced and have nowhere to go, Joly said.
She also said Canada is putting pressure on Israeli officials to stop the military operation.
“They’re trapped there, no access to humanitarian aid, and this will cause a lot of civilian casualties,” said International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen Tuesday. Canada has constantly advised against a military operation in Rafah, he said.
“We’re very disappointed that it’s happening.”
Canada has already explored other options to get aid into the besieged territory, including contributing to a sea port and resorting to airdrops, Hussen said. “We’ve done everything that we can.”
The border closure will also further complicate plans to get people with extended family ties to Canadians out of Gaza.
“It means we will not be able to get people out, and that’s an extreme concern to me,” said Immigration Minister Marc Miller.
The government launched a temporary visa program to bring people to Canada to seek refuge with their Canadian families, but hasn’t been able to facilitate their escape from the war zone through the already tightly-controlled Rafah border.
Some people have managed to get out on their own by giving huge sums of money to private firms to allow them through the crossing into Egypt.
— With The Associated Press