Palestinian-Montrealer on day 17 of sit-in protest demanding ceasefire in Gaza

Wednesday marked day 17 of a sit-in protest in front of federal Immigration Minister Mark Miller’s office in Montreal organized by Palestinian-Montrealer Summer Alkhdour.

Her 13-year-old daughter Jana died in Gaza while waiting to get to Canada to be reunited with her family.

“There is no way to describe what they are going through in Gaza.”

Alkhdour says she’s going to continue to protest every day until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.

“It is indefinite until my two demands are fulfilled, so it’s gonna be indefinite,” said Alkhdour.

“Number one, is to pressure the government to have a ceasefire…number two, is about the program, the temporary visa program launched for Palestinians in the Gaza strip, we need to lift the cap of 1,000 applications and to expedite the process for those who applied.”

Last December Miller announced temporary visa measures allowing permanent residents – and to apply for family reunification visas for their extended family members in Gaza.

Alkhdour applied to get her sister who lives in Gaza with her husband and two kids through the temporary visa program that the Ministry of Immigration announced in January for Gazans who have family ties in Canada, yet the file is still being processed.

“They’re waiting with so much hope, I mean you know every day passes by the hope diminishes but we still have hope that you know or at least her and her family, that they will be evacuated soon,” explained Alkhdour.

“Not a single person, based on what I have as information you know I keep asking lawyers and people involved in the activism there is not a single person who entered Canada under this program.”

Some Montrealers came to the sit-in to express their solidarity and show support for Alkhdour, asking for more action to end the Israel-Hamas war.

“It is time for the government to take it seriously, we want to action right? When we ask for a ceasefire we are not demanding Canada to demand a ceasefire we demand Canada to take action to have a ceasefire,” said Haneen Omed, who joined the sit-in protest.

Alkhdour says, “So far it’s been more than six months…and nothing has been done for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”