Hamilton residents hold rally asking government to evacuate family members from Gaza

Hamilton man Rani Hamaid is desperately waiting for word from the Canadian government on if they will approve some of his family members being evacuated from Gaza to Canada after applying for a temporary visa in early 2024.

He was one of many at a rally in downtown Hamilton on Wednesday trying to get their loved ones to safety.

“Now, they are between the threat of starvation and bombing,” says Rani Hemaid.

It’s been 18 months since Hemaid applied for a temporary visa to help get his family members out of Gaza City.

“My parents and my brother’s family who were in Gaza got out on their own,” he says.

“They paid money and exited through Egypt.”

WATCH MORE: UN urges aid to Northern Gaza, amid escalating humanitarian crisis

Hemaid says they paid USD$5000 per adult to make that happen.

Meanwhile his sister’s family is still stuck there, dealing with injuries from the war.

“She was subjected to having surgical dressings changed without anesthesia for 10 days. The screams of hers, I can hear them every day,” Hemaid says.

The Canadian government launched a temporary visa program back in January 2024 to help extended families of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement today that as of July 8th, more than 17-hundred people have been approved to come to Canada from Gaza.

So far, only 864 people have arrived in the country.

WATCH MORE: Hamilton Public Health Services issues drug alert after numerous poisonings

“I wake up, I’m just hoping that there’s no text that they’re not alive anymore,” says Hemaid.

“The kids, they can’t sleep. They’re crying. They wake up and there’s no food. They wish to have a piece of bread,” says Shorouq Althalathini, Rani Hemaid’s sister. Althalathini spoke to CHCH News in a translated phone call.

Mahmoud Fares is in a similar situation as he waits for his 16 family members to come to Canada from Gaza.

“It’s really hard there. They’re being starved. My own father has lost about 60 pounds of his weight. I can’t even recognize my family members anymore,” Fares says.

He adds that he’s reached out to Stoney Creek MP Ned Kuruc for help but hasn’t heard back.

“We are here today to call on the government to keep their promise and to evacuate our family and continue calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and access to humanitarian needs in Gaza as well,” says Fares.

CHCH News went to Kuruc’s office today to see if he was available for an interview but was told it couldn’t be accommodated today.

READ MORE: Hamilton Public Health investigates two confirmed measles cases