Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes

A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.

Jalal Tabaja, a father of four Canadian children, says he has moved his family to a hotel in a quieter area north of Beirut, but nowhere feels safe as explosions are heard across the capital city.

Global Affairs Canada says it continues to help Canadians, permanent residents and their immediate family members to flee as the conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah intensifies.

It says nearly 25,000 Canadians are currently believed to be in Lebanon, about 5,000 of them have requested assistance and officials have reached out to more than 2,300 people to offer seats on commercial flights arranged by the federal government.

The United Nations International Organization for Migration reported Thursday that 1,600 people have been killed and 6,000 injured in Lebanon in recent weeks.

Tabaja, who lost both of his parents last week after their car was struck by an Israeli bomb in Lebanon, says he and his family have been told they can get on a flight on Sunday but are awaiting confirmation.

He says he is thankful to the Canadian government for its response but more should be done to rescue those who are trapped.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2024.