More Canadians leaving Lebanon Monday as Israeli attacks on Hezbollah continue

By Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press on October 7, 2024.

OTTAWA – The foreign affairs minister’s office says another plane is set to leave Lebanon today to evacuate Canadians from the country as conflict escalates between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.

A plane with 291 seats was booked for today with 104 passengers confirmed, including Canadians, UN staff and foreign nationals.

On Sunday, Global Affairs Canada said more than 1,000 people had been evacuated so far.

The department has been urging Canadians to flee Lebanon, saying over the past week it offered flights to more than 5,000 Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family members.

As of Sunday, Global Affairs said there were more than 25,000 Canadians registered in Lebanon, though Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has said the tally could be closer to 45,000.

Monday marked the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel that sparked the now-widening conflict in the Middle East.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7.

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