His daughter was born in Gaza during the war. In Toronto, they finally met - Action News
Home WebMail Monday, November 11, 2024, 06:11 AM | Calgary | -1.6°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Toronto

His daughter was born in Gaza during the war. In Toronto, they finally met

Ahmad Abualjedian's wife and newborn baby were taken to the Canadian Embassy in Cairo before flying to Toronto on Friday, where Ahmad met his daughter for the first time.

After a harrowing birth and evacuation, a Palestinian family is reunited in Toronto

'I have my heart:' Canadian resident meets daughter born in Gaza for the 1st time

11 months ago
Duration 0:01
Canadian permanent resident Ahmad Abualjedian's wife and daughter, who was born in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, arrived in Toronto on Friday after they safely made it across the Rafah gate. Abualjedian speaks with CBC News about how it felt to hug and kiss his baby for the first time.

Over the past few weeks, Ahmad Abualjedianhas been in Brantford, Ont., bracing for news that his wife and daughter, who was born in the waiting room of an overflowing hospital in Gaza, had died.

After communications in the besieged territory were cut off, he couldn't get in touch with them for days at a time. His wife, Yara, gave birth in the city of Jabalia on Oct. 23, in a hospital with no electricity and without anesthetic. Now, he said, both she and the whole family are finally getting some relief.

On Friday morning, Ahmad, a Canadian permanent resident who is visually impaired, stood in the Pearson International Airport arrivals area with a bouquet of flowers clutched to his chest, a Canadian flag poking out of the foliage, and for the first time, touched his baby daughter.

"I don't know what to say, but finally, I got my dream," said Ahmad.

After initially being told Global Affairs Canadacouldn't help the family, Ahmad's wife and baby, named Sila, were eventually taken to the Canadian Embassy in Cairo before flying to Toronto. Yara and Sila are among the Canadians and family members who have been able to leave Gaza through the Rafahborder crossing with Egypt since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on Oct. 7.

A baby is held up by someone whose back is to the camera.
Ahmad's friends, Baha Elhajar and Sana Qasem, hold baby Sila. Qasem brought Sila a white teddy bear to welcome her to Canada. (Carlos Osorio/CBC)

Amid the pain the fighting has brought to thousands of families, includingAhmad's he lost a sister and cousins he said on Friday he wanted to focus on happiness.

"We have to be positive, we have to be looking, not to the past, [looking] into the future now," he said. "We will start [to] build our future in Canada."

Yarais on a temporary resident visa in Canada; the family says the status of baby Sila is yet to be determined. To help build their life here, Ahmad is looking for work so he can support them, but that has proven difficult because ofhis impaired vision, according to friends with him at the airport.

A man hugs his wife who holds flowers.
Ahmad Abualjedian greets his wife, Yara, who gave birth in the waiting room of a hospital in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war. (Carlos Osorio/CBC)

Speaking through Ahmad, who acted as a translator, Yara said the feeling of being in Canada was indescribable.

"I was dreaming to be with my husband," Ahmad said, translating for Yara. "To be with him and help him as a blind person."

'Running from place to place'

Yara described the terror of living in Gaza during Israel's bombardment. She was worried for her life, worried about giving birth, and then worried for her daughter.

"We were just running, running from place to place to get safe," Ahmad said, translating for Yara.

WATCH | What it's like to reach the Rafah border crossing:

Canadian describes the 'terrifying' journey from north to south in Gaza

11 months ago
Duration 0:58
Wafa Shurrab, a Canadian who passed through the Rafah crossing into Egypt on Tuesday, says the trip from Gaza City to the border was harrowing, with 'destroyed houses all the way.'

While in Gaza, she said she stayed in the Jabalia refugee camp, which a spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed was hit by an airstrike on Oct. 31. The director of a hospital near the site of the strike told Al Jazeera that more than 50 Palestinians were killed and 150 wounded.The IDF says it was targetinga senior Hamas leader.

One of the first orders of business now that Yara and Sila have landed is to see a doctor, Ahmad said.

Sana Qasem isone of Ahmad's friends who hashelped to ensure the family hadeverything a newborn needs before Yara and Sila arrived.She said Yara was forced to give birth in an unsanitary environment without clean water.

Qasem arrived at the airport with bags full of supplies: swaddles, winter coats, diapers, wipes and a fuzzy white teddy bear. At Ahmad and Yara's home, she set up a crib and piled up baby clothes.

Two people sit holding a baby.
Qasem and Elhajar hold baby Sila. Qasem gathered many of the supplies Sila would need as a newborn. (Carlos Osorio/CBC)

"I even cleaned her house just to make sure that when she goes in, she doesn't have to worry about a single thing," she said.

'Canada is my country'

Last week, Ahmad told CBC News that Global Affairs had told him they couldn't help get Yara and Sila out of Gaza. But a few days later, he was told they'd be reopening the file.

Despite those difficulties, Ahmad said the experience has filled him with gratitude for the country he's lived in since 2018.

"I would say Canada is my country," he said.

Member of parliament Larry Brock, who helped facilitate the reunion holds baby Sila. Ahmad Abualjedian greeted his wife, Yara, and his daughter, Sila.
Member of Parliament Larry Brock, who helped facilitate the reunion, holds baby Sila as her proud parents look on. (Carlos Osorio/CBC)

He credits the successful evacuation in part to his local member of Parliament, Larry Brock, who held Sila in his arms on Friday as Yara and Ahmad embraced.

"What turned out initially to be a nightmare has been a dream come true," Brock said.

Though Ahmad and Yara's story has ended in celebration, Brock stressed that for the many Canadians still hoping that they or their family members will be able to make it out of Gaza, escape will come ona case-by-case basis.

"I know that there are efforts being made to ensure that all foreign nationals are able to leave Gaza safely and securely and be able to get back to their home countries," he said. "I hope that continues."

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story stated that Yara and Sila have been granted temporary permanent residency status in Canada. In fact, only Yara is on a temporary resident visa and the status of the baby is yet to be determined.
    Nov 10, 2023 7:41 PM ET

With files from Jackie Ruryk, Katie Newman and Thomson Reuters