Israel-Hamas war: Canada details airlift plans, hostage team amid 'horrors' unfolding

The Canadian government will begin airlifting citizens and their families out of Israel by Thursday or Friday, while pledging no stone will go unturned as officials continue to seek confirmation of how many Canadians have been killed or remain missing, while providing new details about plans to send hostage negotiators.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly confirmed Wednesday that two Canadians are confirmed dead, and a third is presumed dead in Israel.

Joly said the government is following reports that another three Canadians remain missing and officials are in contact with these individuals' families to offer support, and with local authorities as well as allied countries to gather additional information and intelligence.

• What to know on the fifth day of the latest Israel-Hamas war

She would not confirm if there are any Canadians among the hundreds of hostages, saying she didn't want to "increase the value and put their lives in danger."

However the minister indicated Canada has been in contact with the chief negotiator of hostages in Israel, and will be sending "a team of experts," to support the officials on the ground in Israel that are engaged in hostage negotiations, as officials noted that not all cases of missing Canadians would necessarily be hostages.

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lior Haiat told reporters Wednesday he does not believe Israel asked Canada for negotiators, because it is "not the time" for that as they are still "counting our bodies" and "fighting terrorists." Though, he said the hostages are believed to include many dual-nationals, including Canadians.

Later Wednesday, the Canadian government issued a statement, urging "restraint when communicating about reported incidents of hostage-taking situations, noting "public communications relating to hostages could potentially prolong the ordeal and further endanger lives," and be "extremely distressing for family and friends of the victims." 

The latest federal figures are that 4,227 Canadians are registered in Israel and an additional 475 Canadians are registered in Gaza and the West Bank. Global Affairs Canada says it has responded to 1,990 enquiries since the beginning of the conflict. 

Condemning Hamas' attacks and calling for the violence to end and for hostages to be released, the minister was joined by Chief of Defence Staff Wayne Eyre to provide the latest on the Israel-Hamas war.

Now into its fifth day, the fighting sparked by Canadian-designated terrorist group Hamas' incursion into Israel and Israeli reprisal strikes has killed, injured, displaced and stranded thousands, including Canadian citizens.

THIRD CANADIAN TO DIE IDENTIFIED

As of Joly's update, the two Canadians confirmed killed were 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi from Vancouver, and 33-year-old Alexandre Look from Montreal.

However, by mid-afternoon, the Jewish Foundation of Ottawa held a press conference where they said 33-year-old Adi Vital-Kaploun was killed by Hamas in Israel. 

After initially indicating that three Canadians were confirmed killed, Joly and Global Affairs Canada’s assistant deputy minister for consular security and emergency management, Julie Sunday, clarified that the third death is presumed, as Israeli authorities have not provided confirmation.

"Often families or friends will call us when they suspect someone has been injured or killed," Sunday said, adding that Canadian officials then work with officials to confirm, through identification.

"That can be quite complex given the scale of some of the attacks, so we're working with Israeli authorities to confirm all of what we suspect are deaths," Sunday said. "In this case, they've been quite overwhelmed, so it's taken some time."

Joly said she spoke with Look's family on Tuesday, and that it was one of the most difficult calls she has ever had to make.

"As we continue to watch the horrors unfold… I extend my condolences to all of those who have lost loved ones following the terrorist attacks in Israel. The pain and suffering that we continue to bear witness to cannot be measured," Joly said.

"Young lives have been cut short, families have been ripped apart, and it is absolutely heartbreaking. It is being felt in homes and communities across Canada." 

EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT AIRLIFTS

Joly announced Wednesday that Canadian Armed Forces aircraft will shuttle those looking to leave the region from the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to Athens starting later this week. From Greece—a safe third country—an Air Canada plane and crew will bring Canadians back to Toronto or Montreal.

Two CC-150 Airbus Polaris military aircraft will be used for these flights, Eyre said, one from Europe and one from CFB Trenton, with the first plane expected to land in Athens late Wednesday. The top military general said that "tabletop" planning exercises taking place in the coming hours, will work out "the most effective and efficient" plan to determine the number of flights per day.

"It will be demand-driven" by how many Canadians are asking to get out, Eyre said. But the offer will be time-limited, given the current issues accessing flights to North America aren't expected to be long-lasting. 

The Canadian government first announced Tuesday night that it will assist Canadians departing "in the coming days," and that the flights will be open Canadian citizens, their spouses, and their children; as well as Canadian permanent residents, their spouses and their children.

"Let me be clear, this includes dual nationals," Joly said.

Canadian travellers in Israel have told CTV News that so far, they have been unable to find a way home amid airline cancellations and challenges receiving assistance from the embassy despite consular capacity increasing. This prompted calls from the federal opposition parties for immediate emergency airlifts. 

"I haven't been able to get a hold of actually anyone…I don't really know what to do… I'm praying that Canada will be able to get me and other families that are desperately trying to get out of here," said Alva Yaffe, a Canadian and a single mother who’s trying to get home to Canada who spoke with CTV News' Adrian Ghobrial north of Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

"This is actual war… and we don't feel safe here, we feel safe in Canada."

Defending the amount of time it is taking to mobilize military airlifts, Eyre said once the conflict started, troops "immediately" started planning options for what support Canada could provide, but considerations around the security situation, resources, flight and landing clearances had to be worked out first.

Sunday said the rather rare pivot to evacuation flights came after an influx of calls came in to consular officials from citizens unable to access commercial options.

While noting that other major allies such as the U.S. have yet to embark on assisted departures, Joly also said she is working on additional options for those who cannot reach the airport in Tel Aviv.

A technical briefing held by federal foreign affairs, immigration and defence officials speaking on a not-for-attribution basis provided further details on Wednesday afternoon, including that the current estimate is flights will begin late Thursday evening, or on Friday.

The tentative plan is likely three flights per day, 150 personnel per flight, officials said. 

Canada will prioritize documented and travel-ready passengers, stranded tourists and the most vulnerable, and will be able to facilitate transport to the airport for some, as well as provide medical services on-board, as needed.

Immigration officials are working with embassy staff on any instances where those looking to board planes to Canada do not have their passport or necessary travel authorization documentation with them, to validate identification.

And, while Canadians will not be charged for the assisted departure flights from Israel to Athens, onward travel and accommodation will be at individuals' expense.

Should there be room on the last flight or flights, federal officials indicated Canada was open to allowing citizens from allied nations who aren't offering airlifts, to board. 

While Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman said she was glad to see airlifts confirmed, the Official Opposition remains unsatisfied with the information provided, saying "too many Canadians are left without answers to key questions as they are planning to leave."

"By the time the government’s first flights leave, almost a week will have passed since the attack," Lantsman said. "The minister should have instructed officials on Saturday morning to begin preparations for evacuation flights for Canadians. There should be flights already departing and bringing Canadians home."

CONSULAR AID OFFERED 24/7: OFFICIALS

The government is imploring any Canadians in the region who have not yet registered to do so, so that embassy officials can share more information about these upcoming flights and any other key security and safety information directly with them.

Officials are also going back to all who have called so far, to inquire about interest in assisted departure.

Noting that it is "a time of great uncertainty and of great anxiety," Joly said the missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah remain open and officials in Ottawa, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon are offering emergency surge support 24/7, with minimal delays for those calling to get through.

Additional consular staff is being deployed to various locations in the region.

During the technical briefing, officials said the government has activated the emergency watch and response centre in Ottawa, where 20 people were staffing the phones overnight, responding to more than 1,000 inquiries since Oct. 7. The Canadian government wants anyone looking for the most up-to-date information to visit their online crisis webpage, which will include travel advisory guidance.

"We will work to provide consular assistance to all Canadians, whether they are in Gaza, the West Bank, or in Israel," said one official during Wednesday's briefing.

WHAT ABOUT GAZA EVACUATIONS?

As for the nearly 500 Canadians that have registered from Gaza or the West Bank, the best estimate that officials could provide is of the 250 people in these areas that have asked for federal help, 70 are in Gaza specifically.

So far Canada has no concrete plans to evacuate given there is no humanitarian corridor, but Joly said they are looking at the potential of moving people through Jordan to access commercial flights.

"What I can tell you also is that should the United Nations work on an evacuation, we would be working with them. We've done so in the past, but at this point, there has been no information coming from the UN regarding evacuation as we speak, but we keep our options open," Joly said.

The government confirmed on Tuesday that it will continue to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank, where federal officials say roughly 264,000 Palestinians have been internally displaced, but insists it will ensure none of the funds will end up in the hands of designated terrorist organization Hamas.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza was dire before this weekend, and this will only deteriorate the situation further," Joly said, noting she is anxious about "what will happen next."

"We urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law, and to provide humanitarian access to Gaza," Joly said.