Tue Nov 19 17:16:28 UTC 2024: ## Canada Faces Criticism for Slow Gaza Visa Processing Amidst Humanitarian Crisis

**Ottawa, Canada** – Palestinian-Canadian advocates are sharply criticizing the Canadian government’s handling of a special visa program designed to bring extended family members from the Gaza Strip to Canada, calling it a “failure” and demanding increased pressure on Israel to allow their loved ones to leave the besieged territory.

The program, launched earlier this year, has seen a stark contrast in approval rates compared to the Ukrainian refugee visa program. While over 960,000 Ukrainian visas were approved, with nearly 300,000 arrivals, only 733 Palestinian applications were approved (as of October 5th), and just 334 individuals have arrived in Canada. Advocates point to restrictive application requirements and a 5,000-visa cap as contributing factors to the slow processing.

Representatives from Gazan Families and other advocacy groups, including Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and Amnesty International Canada, held a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday to express their outrage. Omar Omar, whose family remains trapped in Gaza, described the process as disheartening and inhumane, contrasting the swift response to the Ukrainian crisis with the seemingly deliberate slow pace of the Gaza program.

The advocates argue that Canada’s inability to facilitate the exit of approved applicants rests primarily with Israel and Egypt’s control over Gaza’s borders. They contend that the Canadian government should leverage its diplomatic influence to pressure these countries to open the borders and allow approved Palestinians to leave. Amnesty International Canada specifically called for removing the visa cap and increasing diplomatic pressure on Israel and Egypt to facilitate the exit of Palestinians.

While the Canadian government maintains that it is working with local authorities to facilitate the exit of family members and advocate for their safety, critics argue this is insufficient. They accuse the government of inaction and question whether the program was designed to fail from the outset, given the stark difference in response to the Ukrainian and Palestinian crises. The ongoing bombardment of Gaza, with a death toll exceeding 43,972 Palestinians since October 2023, underscores the urgency of the situation and the growing frustration of Palestinian-Canadians desperate to reunite with their families.

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