Canadians from Israel land at Pearson Airport in Mississauga

Another plane transporting Canadians from Israel via Greece landed at Pearson Airport in Mississauga last night.

Last week, the Canadian government began arranging evacuations out of Israel in the wake of the conflict with Hamas. Hamas staged a deadly massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, with ensuing Israeli bombardments killing hundreds in besieged Gaza.

The fourth flight to arrive at Pearson Airport came via Athens, Greece last night (Oct. 16), according to news reports.

Air Canada, with the Canadian government, announced two special flights on Oct. 13 and 14 from Athens to bring Canadians and permanent residents home from Israel, the airline said in a press release last week. 

The Air Canada repatriation flight on Oct. 16 transported 273 passengers to Pearson.

In an update yesterday, Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, said that since Oct. 12, 10 Canadian Armed Forces flights have left Tel Aviv.

As of Oct. 16, the military planes have transported approximately 1,200 passengers, Blair said.

The passengers then must take commercial flights to Canada.

Some Canadians have been evacuated by bus from the West Bank to the neighbouring Jordan, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said.

Around 300 Canadians living in the Gaza Strip have requested assistance leaving but thus far, there hasn’t been a safe corridor for people to leave the country.

With files from the Canadian Press