Residents of Manitoba who have been eagerly awaiting visas for almost two years to reunite with their family members in Gaza express frustration over delays with Canada’s special measures program, leading to dire conditions for their loved ones as paperwork and uncertainties mount.
Hafsaa Abuaassi, a Winnipeg resident, shares the plight of her family members who have been stranded in the conflict-ridden area since the conflict erupted over two years ago.
Tragedy struck her family when her brother and brother-in-law fell victim to Israeli airstrikes in December 2023 while on a journey between family residences in central Gaza to procure food.
Since the inception of the Canadian government’s special measures program in January 2024, which permits citizens or permanent residents to sponsor extended family members in Gaza for temporary resident visas, Abuaassi’s father, mother, and siblings have been eagerly awaiting Canadian visas.
“I am eager to have my family here,” expressed Abuaassi, who relocated to Canada in 2022.
As of recent updates, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) disclosed to CBC that 880 individuals have been brought to Canada through the program since July 29. Additionally, 400 more individuals have arrived in Canada under alternative programs, according to the department.
The special measures program for extended family members in Gaza has reached its cap of 5,000 applications, with the quota being filled in March, as indicated on the IRCC website.
Inquiries made by CBC Manitoba to the IRCC and Canada’s Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab’s office for comments have not received responses over the weekend.
Abdalrahman Qeshta, who hails from Rafah in southern Gaza and immigrated to Canada in 2017, reveals that sixteen of his relatives are part of the numerous applicants awaiting processing of their applications.
During the turmoil on Oct. 7, 2023, where Hamas-led militants launched an assault on Israel resulting in numerous casualties, Qeshta’s family faced immense hardships, with some falling ill due to the unavailability of clean water.
Qeshta emphasizes that while his family managed to complete their biometrics requirements in Egypt, Abuaassi’s family remains stranded due to the impossibility of obtaining biometrics in Gaza, a hurdle that has prolonged their wait for Canadian visas.
Jad, Abuaassi’s husband, laments the destruction in Gaza, highlighting the
