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- calendar_today October 10, 2026
Family Separation Highlights Gaza Border and Immigration Challenges
Ten-year-old Rashid Abusalim has spent nearly his entire childhood in Edmonton without his father, Saed Abusalim, due to ongoing travel and immigration barriers related to the conflict in Gaza. Despite the family's hopes for reunification, Saed remains unable to meet crucial Canadian immigration requirements because he cannot leave Gaza to complete a mandatory biometric screening.
Son Pleads for Father's Safe Passage
Rashid has become an advocate for his father's case, even visiting the office of his local member of Parliament to seek help. The separation has weighed heavily on the family, with Rashid saving mementos—awards, letters, and souvenirs—hoping to one day share them with his father. Currently, the two connect only through occasional video calls when internet access is available despite the ongoing conflict.
"I am actually really sad about that because I am losing my best memories with him," Rashid shared with CBC News, emphasizing the emotional impact of missing important milestones and everyday moments with his father.
Immigration Delays Stemming From Biometric Requirements
Rashid and his mother, Saloumi Abusalim, first arrived in Canada as refugees and have since become citizens. Saed, however, remained in Palestine, intending to apply for Canadian permanent residency and a special temporary visa (TRV) while awaiting their eventual reunion. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent war in Gaza imposed new barriers. Although Saed secured travel documents to Egypt for the biometric requirement—a process that necessitates fingerprinting and identity verification—hostilities erupted on October 7, 2023, closing border crossings and making safe passage impossible.
Despite five attempts to cross into Egypt, Saed has been denied exit from Gaza each time. According to Saloumi, her husband's daily life is marked by scarcity and danger: "I'm living in heaven, he's living—literally—in hell, starving...If he has any medical situation, he's on the edge of dying because there is no medication over there."
Authorities Respond to Humanitarian and Bureaucratic Obstacles
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) acknowledged via email that while the biometric requirements for Canadian immigration are essential for safety and system integrity, meeting these criteria is particularly challenging for residents of Gaza. The IRCC reported that, as of July 31, approximately 1,380 Palestinians have submitted biometrics and 1,075 have since arrived in Canada through special programs. In total, over 1,400 Palestinians have come to Canada since the conflict began, yet the gaza border challenges and travel restrictions continue to create obstacles for many.
Global Affairs Canada also expressed regret for not having more capacity to facilitate crossings, indicating ongoing advocacy and coordination with local and international authorities to allow more eligible individuals to leave Gaza.
Humanitarian Concerns and Calls for Reform
The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) and other organizations have raised concerns, comparing the number of Ukrainian refugees welcomed to Canada with the much smaller number of Palestinians admitted through the TRV program. CMPAC highlighted that biometric screenings remain the largest impediment to refugee reunification. Khaled Al-Qazzaz, CMPAC’s executive director, called for alternative measures, such as portable biometric screening or allowing the process to occur after arrival in Canada. "The Canadian government should be part of the solution, not adding more hurdles and obstacles to a humanitarian situation that they can resolve," Al-Qazzaz stated.
Recent findings from a United Nations Commission of Inquiry have heightened international scrutiny, although Israel denies any allegations of genocide in Gaza.
Ongoing Struggles and Hopes for Reunification
Rashid continues to hold out hope, greeting both parents when he gets home after school in the belief that one day his father will respond in person. The Abusalim family’s story underscores the profound challenges faced by those struggling with humanitarian obstacles and administrative requirements during ongoing conflict. For now, family members like Rashid and Saloumi remain separated, relying on distant communication and the hope that bureaucratic and border barriers will eventually be overcome.
Source: cbc.ca.
