MONTREAL, 18 July 2006 — Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay expressed condolences late Sunday for the deaths of seven Canadian citizens killed during an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.
“On behalf of the government of Canada, I extend my deepest sympathies to the loved ones of those killed and wounded,” MacKay said in a statement.
MacKay said the Canadian Embassy in Beirut had been in direct contact with the family whose home in southern Lebanon was hit by shelling Sunday, and officials in Ottawa had been in direct contact with immediate family members living in Canada. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones in this time of need, and we will make every effort to assist them at this difficult time,” the foreign minister said.
According to Lebanese police, five of the dead were a Lebanese-Canadian couple and their three children, killed in an Israeli airstrike near the Israel-Lebanon border.
The family had arrived in Lebanon 10 days ago for a vacation in the village of their birthplace.
The foreign minister’s statement also spoke of three Canadians injured in the attack. Radio Canada reported that four children were among six Lebanese-Canadians injured in the attack.
Amid continuing Israeli air raids and Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel, Ottawa is planning an evacuation of Canadians from Lebanon, MacKay earlier told CTV television.
“These ships have been secured, we’ll be getting them to a coastal position off Lebanon. We’re also working to secure the safe passage of these vessels, and that includes seeking assurance from all the parties there,” he said.
About 16,000 Canadians are registered with the Canadian Embassy in Beirut, but MacKay estimated there could be two or three times more in the country. About 250,000 Canadians are of Lebanese origin, and many travel to Lebanon during the summer holidays.
