Palestinian-Canadians worry for relatives as offensive in Gaza ramps up
By The Canadian Press on October 28, 2023.
MONTREAL – Moayed Salim says his father planned to come back to Canada from Gaza at the end of the month for the birth of Salim’s son. Instead, Salim says his father is stuck in the Palestinian Territory and the London, Ont. resident has no way to know if he’s alive or dead. Israel launched an expanded ground operation in the enclave on Saturday after knocking out communications and creating a near-blackout of information in the Gaza Strip with increased bombardment and artillery fire overnight. Mansour Shouman, a Canadian citizen who returned to Gaza three years ago, says it seems like the scale of the bombing has increased. Shouman, who is in the south of Gaza, says he worries about food and water shortages and notes many residents fled their homes without warm clothes as winter approaches. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday night that the war has entered a new stage as it seeks to eliminate Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities and recover more than 200 hostages taken during an Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2023. 8-7
