There is a small glimmer of hope for Canadians stuck in Gaza. A window for the evacuation of the city could open on Saturday afternoon, allowing citizens and their families to travel to Egypt via a passage. Global Affairs Canada officials made the announcement Friday during a technical briefing in Ottawa.

“We learned this morning that there may be an opportunity for individuals to leave Gaza via the Rafah border crossing and travel to Egypt tomorrow [samedi] between 12 and 5 p.m. “We are in active contact with the Egyptian and Israeli authorities to ensure that Canadian citizens and permanent residents and their family members are able to leave,” the officials announced.

However, this possibility is not guaranteed. “We are still waiting for guarantees about the possibility of crossing this limit tomorrow. At the moment we do not have that assurance, we only have a window of opportunity that has been presented to us as a potential opportunity,” the announcement clarified.

Discussions are reportedly underway with Egyptian authorities to ensure the transport of nationals stuck in the heavily bombed Gaza Strip to the Egyptian capital. From there they would be offered assistance in returning to Canada.

About 150 people in Gaza have told the Canadian government they need assistance. Most of them are of Canadian nationality, but there are also “mixed families,” according to the authorities.

A “terrible week”

Although evacuation is not yet guaranteed, the government said late Friday it was informing affected Canadians. “ “If an opportunity presents itself, it will come very quickly and everyone must be ready,” it said during the briefing.

Canadians in Gaza were reportedly warned of a possible evacuation on Saturday, but orders remain in effect not to move south until the operation is confirmed. “The last thing we want is for Canadians to be stuck at the border,” officials added.

The latter also stated that “most” Canadian citizens in Gaza had been contacted, but communication was sometimes very difficult, especially due to the power outage in the city.

When asked about the type of options available to Canadians who miss Saturday’s window, Global Affairs Canada officials said no guarantees would be offered. “We cannot offer any certainty at this point. “The situation in Gaza is extremely volatile, so we will maximize every possible evacuation window for Canadians,” it made clear.

“We know this has been a terrible week for Canadians in Gaza. Many have had to move due to issues such as structural damage to buildings. We are working closely with our allies and the United Nations to ensure all necessary documentation is in place to allow them to leave,” the officials added.

Flash mission

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday morning to begin a turbulent trip that will last until Sunday. The minister was already in Jordan on Friday afternoon and will then travel to Greece.

In particular, she will meet with her regional partners, in particular with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

During her visit, Minister Joly wants to reaffirm Canada’s support for Israel and its right to defend itself in accordance with international law.

She spent only a few hours on Israeli soil, early afternoon Tel Aviv time. In particular, she was able to meet Canadians who were heading to Athens.

Footage of his visit to Tel Aviv was broadcast on Friday at X o’clock. “We began our visit to Israel with Canadians waiting to board their Canadian Forces flight to Athens. “You could see the relief on their faces after an incredibly difficult week,” she wrote on her social media.

To watch in the video