A 62-year-old woman from Ontario is reporting that her brother passed away in northern Gaza after spending weeks looking for food and shelter as he waited for the Canadian government's decision on his possible relocation to Canada.
Sawsan Karashuli learned from a Facebook post that her brother, Ismail Qarsholi, had died on March 4, approximately two months after she applied for Canadian visas for him and his 25-year-old daughter through a newly established program. His daughter, Lina Qarsholi, is now alone in northern Gaza, attempting to survive in the midst of what international officials have described as a humanitarian disaster.
Karashuli's sole desire is for Ottawa to assist her niece in coming to live with her in Canada, where Karashuli has been residing for over twenty years.
During a recent interview, her 36-year-old son Marcus joined her, stating, “Mom had started to tidy up the room and fix everything up,” He continued, “She had clothes because they’d be coming with nothing. We truly believe in Canadian values, but we’re shocked that they’re not able to do anything … it’s just a lot of time, lost effort, a lot of false hope.”
In January, the Canadian government initiated a program to offer temporary visas to up to 1,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who have family in Canada, under the condition that their families can support them when they arrive.
Sawsan Karashuli applied for her relatives on the program's launch day. She mentioned that the application process was confusing and expensive, and ultimately received no response from the federal government regarding her relatives' acceptance or their ability to safely travel to Egypt for the final processing.
As of March 11, the federal Immigration Department stated that 986 applications had been accepted for processing under the program, but only 14 people had successfully crossed from Gaza into Egypt for the required final screenings and clearance to relocate to Canada.
In contrast, Australian authorities reported issuing nearly 2,300 visas to Palestinians between the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, and February 6. An email from Irish immigration officials on March 7 mentioned that Ireland had issued 90 visas since October 7.
Upon learning that only 14 people had obtained temporary Canadian visas, Marcus Karashuli fell silent and then expressed, “That is just heartbreaking.”
Canada's Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, has expressed frustration with Canada's limited ability to facilitate the entry of approved family members into Egypt. He stated in Ottawa on Monday that Canada is appealing to Egypt and Israel to allow these individuals to leave so they can complete their security screening in Cairo and acquire a visa.
He also added that Canada is ready to accept over 1,000 applicants, but did not specify the exact number.
Ismail Qarsholi was enjoying retirement after a lengthy career as an education director when Hamas militants launched an attack in southern Israel, resulting in an estimated 1,200 deaths and around 240 hostages. In response, Israel conducted airstrikes and a ground assault, resulting in the death of over 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.
80 percent of the 2.3 million people in Gaza are displaced because of the war. A report backed by the United Nations said that 70 percent of the population in northern Gaza is facing severe hunger, and there is a high risk of famine.
Marcus Karashuli said that Lina Qarsholi was pursuing a law degree when the war began.
According to Karashuli, Lina and her father were not involved in Hamas or the attacks. He feels that Israel's offensive is like punishing everyone for the actions of a few.
Qarsholi, who was 67, passed away. Due to the lack of functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, no doctor could confirm his death or determine the cause.
Due to blackouts and infrastructure damage, the Karashulis had difficulty keeping in touch with their relatives in Gaza. Sawsan Karashuli received pictures showing her brother's deteriorating condition, depicting him as a frail, malnourished man.
Marcus Karashuli mentioned that Lina often talked about their hunger and desperate search for food. He described the heartbreaking way his uncle passed away as incomprehensible.
Now, he and his mother are hoping that Lina will be allowed to come to Canada for humanitarian reasons, as she does not meet the requirements for a Canadian visa on her own.
Their lawyer, Annie O'Dell, mentioned that the process is discretionary and there's a possibility of being denied.
However, Sawsan Karashuli is determined and intends to keep her niece’s room ready, refusing to lose hope.
Karashuli expressed her wish to bring Lina to Canada, as she feels that Lina is all they have now after losing her brother.
The Canadian Press first published this report on March 20, 2024.
— This information includes contributions from The Associated Press.
