The identities of two Canadians killed in southern Lebanon as Israeli bombing campaign continues have been revealed, their son said.
Kamal Tabaja told CBC News from Bahrain that his parents, Hussein Tabaja, 74, and Dad Tabaja, 69, were killed after fleeing the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon.
The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Tuesday The Canadian government said it had been “notified of the deaths of two Canadian nationals,” but has not yet confirmed their identities or provided further details.
Kamal said his parents immigrated to Canada in 1996 and became Canadian citizens three years later. They lived in Ottawa for a while but had been living in Lebanon for the past five years.
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes and hospitals are overwhelmed with the wounded since Israel intensified bombardment on Monday, Lebanon’s deadliest day since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war, leaving more than 550 people dead.
Tabaja said she called her mother early on Monday morning, telling her they were not safe where they were and urging them to leave southern Lebanon and reach Beirut. She said she was stuck in traffic for hours and was in contact with her mother until the evening.
Kamal also said he had heard that Israeli forces had bombed the area that night.
By the next morning, Kamal had almost given up hope. “I knew they wouldn’t fail to contact us,” he said.
Kamal said his brother, who is in Beirut, went looking for them and found the remains of their car in Ghazieh, blown off the road by the explosion. Inside the burnt remains was their mother’s watch.
“I couldn’t believe it. I had been expecting this news since the morning… I guess it was a shock,” he said.
Canadians urged to withdraw from Lebanon
Israeli Army This week it carried out the largest airstrikes in the Lebanon conflict in nearly a year.They targeted Hezbollah leaders and struck hundreds of sites deep inside Lebanon, while Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at Israel.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad told a press conference that at least 51 people were killed and 223 wounded in Wednesday’s Israeli attack in Lebanon.
The United Nations Security Council met on Wednesday to discuss a months-long cross-border conflict in southern Lebanon that has escalated dramatically, raising fears it could further destabilize the Middle East.
Hussein Tabaja, 74, and Dad Tabaja, 69, were identified by their son as the two Canadians killed in southern Lebanon. Kamal Tabaja said his parents were fleeing Israeli airstrikes when their car was attacked in the Nabatieh neighborhood.
Canada and the United States have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon while Lebanon’s international airport in Beirut remains open.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said: “Dead or injured Canadians.”“We want to see a de-escalation in order to prevent the conflict from spreading across the region. But Kamal said he wants more than just words from the Canadian government.”
“Regarding Lebanon, we condemn it and call for peace among everyone, but can we stop supporting Israel?” he asked.
“They were wonderful people.”
Kamal said his father worked as a senior manager at Beirut’s Civil Aviation Authority and his mother worked as a cashier before focusing on raising their children. The couple emigrated to Canada to give their family a better life and escape the Lebanese civil war.
“They were wonderful people,” Kamal said.
“These are people who sacrificed everything for others,” he said, adding that their experiences with Scouts of Canada taught him and his siblings about commitment to community.
“Everyone always said we should be thankful to Canada,” he said.
In total, Hussein and Dad had six children and 13 grandchildren.
Kamal said his parents’ bodies are yet to be identified at the hospital but he expects them to be identified soon.
