Why is Canada asking Palestinians to list scars on Gaza visa applications?
Al Jazeera
Canada’s new temporary visa programme boasts strict requirements for Palestinians hoping to flee Israel’s war in Gaza.
Montreal, Canada – Abdallah Alhamadni knows the clock is ticking.
Every day, the 51-year-old Palestinian father of three checks to see whether his efforts to bring his relatives in Gaza to safety have advanced.
But Alhamadni, a Canadian permanent resident who lives in Milton, Ontario, says he is stuck in a dangerous waiting game, as Israel continues to wage war on the Gaza Strip.
“We feel paralysed, depressed, frustrated, crying,” he told Al Jazeera. “Sometimes we feel we need to be strong to support them because we are the only hope for them. It’s a lot of things coming together, and we are alone.”
Originally from the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, Alhamadni is trying to bring 61 relatives, including 27 children, to Canada through a new temporary visa programme for Palestinians affected by Israel’s military offensive.
