As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, more than a thousand Canadians have left Lebanon over the past nine days through commercial flights, with more seats available this week.
Since Sept. 29, a total of 1,162 people, including Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members, have flown out of Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada said in an update on Monday evening.
The federal government began co-ordinating commercially assisted departures for Canadians looking to get out of Lebanon at the end of last month amid an intensifying conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Global Affairs is booking batches of seats on commercial flights. On Monday, one flight carried 104 Canadians.
Additional flights, with nearly 600 seats available, are scheduled to depart from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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“The ongoing crisis has rendered communications extremely difficult throughout Lebanon,” GAC said.
“Despite these challenges, Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa continues to work, around the clock, 7 days a week reaching out to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate family through all available channels.”
Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah mounted after a deadly wave of bombings across Lebanon last month in which explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of people and wounded thousands, including many Hezbollah members.
The Lebanese government and Hezbollah have blamed Israel for the remote attack. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.
Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon have given way to a fast-expanding ground incursion against Hezbollah militants who have continued to fired rockets into Israel since the Gaza conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023.
As the violence mounts, GAC said more than 5,500 Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members in Lebanon have expressed their interest in departing the country.
Out of these, 4,687 individuals have so far been deemed eligible, are documented, and have been offered departure options, GAC said.
“All interested eligible travelers with whom we have communicated specific offers have departed or will do so in the coming days.”
As of Monday, 25,300 Canadians were registered as being in Lebanon.
Canada’s Ambassador to Lebanon Stefanie McCollum says the “situation remains volatile” and violence in the country has escalated in the last week.
“This is a highly volatile, violent situation and we don’t want Canadians stuck in it,” McCollum said in an interview with Mercedes Stephenson on The West Block that aired Sunday.
If needed, the Canadian Armed Forces are also preparing for military-assisted evacuations, but McCollum said that is “an option of last resort.”
“What we say to Canadians is you shouldn’t be counting on that plan of last resort. You should be leaving now while commercial options are available before it gets any worse.”
— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton and The Associated Press
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