This N.S. woman has been waiting almost 2 years to bring 23 family members fleeing Gaza

A Palestinian woman in Halifax, N.S., is making an impassioned plea for Ottawa to step up efforts to get people safely out of war-torn Gaza, about 20 months after applying to bring her family to Canada under a temporary visa program.

Najlaa Alzaanin, who hasn’t seen 23 family members since moving to Canada in 2019, is still waiting for news on her bid to bring them here under the federal government’s special measures program.

“Canada is not fulfilling the promise that they made and they are not helping our families to get to a safer place,” Alzaanin said in an interview.

Her mother, brother and nephew had to be pulled from rubble at the beginning of the war, she said, and her family has been constantly on the move since bombing attacks “wiped out” their home community of Beit Hanoun on the northeastern edge of the Gaza Strip where they farmed olives.

Alzaanin said she has lost count of the number of times they have been displaced and describes the conditions they are enduring as “unbelievable,” with most now resorting to shelter in tents.

“It breaks my heart every time I see my family going through this genocide,” she said. “I can’t do anything.”

The Gaza health ministry has said more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its offensive following the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and 251 more were taken hostage, according to Israel.

A UN inquiry ruled earlier this month Israel has committed genocide, a finding Israel denies.

Alzaanin is especially anxious for her 62-year-old mother, who is diabetic and is struggling to access medications as well as food and clean water.

“Her weight went down from about 150 pounds to only 100 pounds, because there is no good nutrition for her health conditions,” Alzaanin said.

She’s relieved both sides have agreed on the first phase of a peace deal. But she still hopes her family can join her in Canada so they can live more stable lives.

Canada says 880 people have arrived under the program

The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada launched its special measures program in January 2024 for extended family members of Canadians and permanent residents in Gaza.

There is a cap of 5,000 applications. As of July 29, the department said, 880 people have been brought to Canada by way of that program. It said about 400 others have arrived under other programs.

“It’s so little, it’s an embarrassment for Canada to purport itself as having put forward a sincere immigration program when we see numbers like that,” said Halifax lawyer Asaf Rashid, who is also with the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians-Canada.

Rashid said it’s extremely difficult for people in a war zone to complete applications.

Wassim Obeid, who is trying to bring 15 family members to Halifax, said he thinks a biometrics requirement is delaying his application but is hoping the ceasefire agreement will help with that situation.

“Since they’re still in Gaza, they cannot do biometrics,” he said. “If everything goes smoothly, my family will be able to go to Egypt to complete their biometric procedures.”

Obeid, like Alzaanin said it will be a long time for Gaza to be rebuilt and services to return.

“I need my family to be safe. I also want my nephews and nieces to be able to go to school until Gaza becomes livable again.”

I have to keep fighting for them and for other Palestinians– Najlaa Alzaanin

An IRCC statement said there are challenges beyond its control. It noted it does not have any presence in Gaza but said security screening is part of the process.

“These measures are to prevent anyone who poses a threat to the health, safety, or security of Canadians, from entering Canada,” the statement said. 

Alzaanin said her mother and sister were able to submit biometrics before the war started under a different program, so she does not understand the delay on their files. She transferred their applications to the special measures program.

Her family’s resilience is what keeps her going.

“I have to keep fighting for them and for other Palestinians.”

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