Demonstrators hold sit-in for Gaza outside Immigration office in Vancouver

Palestinians in Canada are on edge as their family members remain trapped in Gaza.

Canadians with ties to Gaza, as well as other demonstrators, held a sit-in Wednesday at the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada Vancouver office, calling on the federal government to take action to evacuate relatives from Gaza.

Nariman Ajjur lives in Vancouver with her husband, but the rest of her family is trapped in Gaza.

“My brother was killed in October of 2023 and he left behind his son and his wife,” explained Ajjur.

“I am trying to get them, my parents, and my siblings (out).”

Ajjur has been trying for more than 18 months. All of the necessary steps for the temporary visa application have been completed, but there has been no progress.

“There is no food there, so to stay silent and not do anything like this was the last option for us after we have exhausted every option,” Ajjur said.

She joined dozens of others advocating for the federal government to do more to reunite Palestinian families and bring them to safety.

Canada announced the temporary residency visa program for family members of citizens and permanent residents who are trapped in Gaza in January 2024.

In order to apply for a temporary visa, a family member in Canada must first provide a list of names and birth dates of relatives. They are then given a unique code for each name submitted, which is when they can begin the application process.

It requires extensive background information, including a complete work history, details of social media accounts, and proof of bodily scars.

‘We just want them to be alive’

Randall Cohn is a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer. He has clients who are attempting to apply for a temporary visa for their family members.

“I hear from families saying, ‘Bring them here and detain them until you can verify who they are, we just want them to be alive,’” he said.

Cohn says the red tape is like nothing he has ever seen before and he expects more from this country.

“Canada could modify the visa process in this instance so as to offer emergency visas for people who have fulfilled all the requirements other than the biometrics,” he said.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada says its hands are tied. The primary challenge is the IRCC does not have a presence in Gaza and the borders are closed.

The IRCC says it “will continue working closely with local authorities – at every level – to advocate for the exit of people in Gaza.”

“However, we do not ultimately decide who can leave,” said a spokesperson with the IRCC.

Canada will recognize Palestine as a state

The sit-in comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will recognize Palestine as a state in September.

Carney also pointed to “the ongoing failure of the Israeli government to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza, with impeded access to food and other essential humanitarian supplies.”

“The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delaying co-ordinated international action to support peace, security and the dignity of human life,” Carney said.

For Palestinians like Ajjur, the words are not enough as she anxiously awaits being reunited with her family before it’s too late.

With files from CTVNews’ Spencer Van Dyk and Aarjavee Raaj