Mona Alatbash leads her family to a nearby building in Khan Younis, where they can get a better phone signal than in their shelter. They bring chairs and flashlights for the video call with Mona’s sister Eman in Cobourg, Ont. The family had applied for admission to Canada under a special program but has received no updates after nearly two years.
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) initiated a program in January 2024 to facilitate the entry of extended family members of Canadians and permanent residents in Gaza. Eman, who has been in Canada for a decade, applied on the program’s opening day. Despite expecting a quick process, delays led Eman to resort to bribes to smuggle some family members out of Gaza.
The family remains separated between Cobourg, Cairo, and Gaza due to visa application delays. Eman, who lost a brother in the conflict, is anxious to reunite her family. While 880 individuals have been relocated to Canada under the special measures, the program’s capacity has been reached, and new applications are no longer accepted.
Challenges faced by the program include insufficient resources, delays in security screenings, and a shortage of Arabic-speaking personnel. The situation has caused stress for Eman, impacting her health. She remains hopeful for a positive outcome, especially for the sake of her children who eagerly await the arrival of their relatives in Canada.
