Gaza families in limbo in Egypt after Australia reportedly cancels visas
Advocacy group Palestine Australia Relief and Action has expressed its concern after the Australian government retracted a series of visitor visas issued to people fleeing Gaza, SBS News reports. According to the news outlet, the group identified several cases where women and children were issued Australian visas, underwent security checks, managed to get out of Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, and boarded flights to Australia in recent days.
“But during their transit period between flights, they received notification that their once-approved visas had been cancelled. SBS News has seen a number of these visa cancellation notices,” it reports. “The delegate considered you never intended a genuine stay temporarily in Australia and therefore the visa was granted based on circumstances which never existed,” the notices read.
SBS says these are the same types of visitor visa arrangements that were in place for Ukrainians when they were able to come to Australia.
EU to announce $8bn in aid to Egypt
Fearing economic fallout in Egypt from the Gaza war, the EU is putting together a 7.4 billion euro ($8.08bn) aid package for Cairo, according to a Financial Times report. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will head to Cairo on Sunday, along with the Greek, Italian and Belgian PMs, to formally announce the funds, the report added.
Egypt’s economy, already in crisis before the Gaza war, has taken a further hit as Israeli attacks edge closer to its border with Rafah and tensions spiral in the Red Sea. This has led to a drop in tourism and Suez Canal revenues, two of Egypt’s major sources of foreign exchange.
Israel sabotaging ceasefire negotiations: Palestinian refugee rights group
Badil, a resource centre for refugee rights, has blamed Israel for sabotaging ceasefire talks. It cites the following examples:
- The call for a permanent ceasefire is denied by Israel for the sake of a temporary truce or pause
- Instead of the provision of unrestricted humanitarian aid, Israel weaponises aid and obstructs UN agencies’ operations
- Instead of a military withdrawal from Gaza, Israel plans to “redeploy” Israeli forces in the besieged enclave
- The call to allow the return of all displaced Palestinians is denied. Instead, Israel proposes the return of only women and children
Canada commits $1m to support Palestinian victims of sexual violence
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has pledged $1m to support investigations into allegations of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinian women. “We believe Palestinian women. Allegations on sexual and gender-based violence against them must be investigated and Palestinian women must be supported,” Joly wrote on X.
The move comes two days after Joly said Canada would provide $1m to organisations supporting survivors of sexual violence during Hamas’s attacks on October 7.
We believe Israeli women. And we stand with them in their fight for justice.
Today, I sat down with the First Lady of Israel, Michal Herzog, to discuss the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th and our support of survivors.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) March 11, 2024
Well since there are no survivors of the sexual violence during Hamas's attacks, at least none have been found... Plenty Palestinian victims still alive though.
Canada trying to stay neutral... While supplying the bombs to kill children
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/07/open-letter-civil-society-coalition-urges-canada-stop-arms-transfers-israel
