Canada pledges more visas for Gazans, says it's 'horrified' by Israeli attack in Rafah

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller speaks during an announcement in the Foyer of the House of Commons, in Ottawa, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press)

OTTAWA — Canada said on Monday it will issue visas to 5,000 Gazans, more than it originally pledged, and said it was "horrified" by an Israeli airstrike in Rafah that triggered a blaze causing 45 deaths.

The visas for Canadians' relatives living in the enclave represent a five-fold increase from the 1,000 temporary resident visas allotted under a special program that Canada announced in December.

"While movement out of Gaza is not currently possible, the situation may change at any time. With this cap increase, we will be ready to help more people as the situation evolves," Immigration Minister Marc Miller said.

A spokesperson for Miller said 448 Gazans had been issued a temporary visa, including 254 under a policy not related to the special visa program, and 41 have arrived in Canada so far.

An Israeli airstrike late on Sunday night triggered a fire in a tent camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, prompting an outcry from global leaders including from Canada.

"We are horrified by strikes that killed Palestinian civilians in Rafah," Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement, adding that Canada does not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah.

"This level of human suffering must come to an end. We demand an immediate ceasefire," Joly said, echoing global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court order to halt Israel's assault.

Canada has repeatedly supported calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, including at the United Nations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier that the strike in Rafah had not been intended to cause civilian casualties and that something had gone "tragically wrong." Israel's military, which is trying to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, said it was investigating.

Nearly 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza, according to the local health ministry, and an estimated 1.7 million people, more than 75 per cent of Gaza's population, have been displaced, according to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA.

Israel launched its military campaign after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.