Palestinians in Hamilton area say families trying to flee Gaza under federal program are in limbo
Gaza reunification program limit increasing from 1,000 to 5,000 applicants
Palestinians in Hamilton and nearby areas trying to help family members escape Israel's bombardment of Gaza say the federal government program designed to get their relatives out of danger needs improvement.
Local resident Amal Battrawi is trying to get her three sisters and their families into Canada.
Battrawi came to Hamilton from Gaza in 2019. Her two daughters and husband joined her in late 2021.
"They get flashbacks," Battrawi said, explaining how she shields her kids from what's unfolding in Gaza to protect their mental health.
She said her three sisters have made it out of Gaza and into Egypt. She also completed temporary resident visa (TRV) applications for them as soon as she could.
While Battrawi is thankful for the program, she also says her sisters are in limbo as they wait to hear from the Canadian government.
One sister was told her application would be processed, three months after the initial application. Despite the application being processed, Battrawi is worried about what will happen because her sister gave birth in Egypt and the baby has no passport.
Another sister received a code to apply for the application and is waiting for an answer, Battrawi said. To apply for the temporary visa, Gazans need to obtain a unique reference code from the Canadian government.
That sister's husband is also still in Gaza, leaving Battrawi wondering if he will also be able to come to Canada.
Battrawi's third sister hasn't received a code, she said.
"It's taking too long," Battrawi said.
More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, Gaza's health ministry says.
Israel launched its air and ground war after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, Israeli officials say.
Program limit increasing to 5,000 applicants
On Monday, federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced an increase in the number of temporary visa applications that will be processed for those leaving the Gaza Strip.
The department says it has issued 179 temporary resident permits through the Gaza program as of April 29, but it isn't known whether anyone has actually reached Canada.
The government previously capped the number of applications to 1,000 but have now raised it to 5,000.
Each application can include multiple family members.
Miller said 2,903 applications were being processed as of May 24, but said he is waiting on Israel to approve the program.
He told the House immigration committee Monday the Canadian government has had "limited" success in getting the needed approval from Israel, which has meanwhile proceeded with an offensive into Rafah.
He added he can't guarantee people will be able to return to Gaza after the war ends.
LISTEN | What is Canada doing to end the fighting in Gaza?
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada spokesperson Matthew Krupovich told CBC Hamilton in an email the ministry is "deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza and empathizes with those affected."
"We understand that people may not have access to all the documents required. Where possible, we are flexible in our approach and assess each situation individually," Krupovich wrote.
'Let's try to save as many people as we can'
Ahmad Abualjedian told CBC Radio's The Current he brought his wife and infant daughter to Brantford, Ont., last year but still has family members stuck in Gaza.
He said he spoke to his sister on Tuesday and heard she was between 50 and 100 metres away from explosions from Israeli forces bombing Rafah.
Abualjedian said his sister told him people are dying by the minute. If they do survive, many are sacrificing limbs, living with mental scars or leaving everything they have behind to escape, he said.
"The children there … they are not living their lives. They are not going to schools, they are thinking, 'Will we be alive?'" he said.
Abualjedian said his sister was able to leave Rafah, but is still in Gaza — and still in danger.
He said he's happy to hear the visa cap is higher, but said he still hasn't heard anything since applying in January.
He said the process needs to speed up.
"Let's try to save as many people as we can," Abualjedian said.
'We just need a chance'
Battrawi said she'd like the government to raise the cap, reduce documentation needed to apply and allow people to apply for more extended family and friends, too.
Battrawi also said other countries need to step up and help Palestinians the way they rallied to help people leaving Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February 2022.
"The world treats us like a virus," Battrawi said.
"We want to live normal lives … we just need a chance."
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With files from Thomson Reuters, The Canadian Press and The Current