Gazan family now settled in Tecumseh, Ont., feels like it's living a double life

After arriving in Tecumseh about six weeks ago from Gaza, Ahmed Ismail says it feels like he and his family are living a double life.

During the day, Ismail says he and his wife are taking care of their two young kids and trying to settle into their new life. But at night, they are watching the devastation back home in Deiral-Balah, Gaza, and speaking with family, who are still there trying to survive the war.

"We can't even sleep well," he said.

"Every night my wife just goes ... crying for so much time. My kids, like, worry."

They are four of the many people displaced by the ongoing war in Israel, which beganlast October.In recent days, there's been renewed talks of a ceasefire.

Ismail says that this possibility gives his family "hope," even though most times it is "false hope."

"We hope a ceasefire is coming," he said.

"We don't care for the results of any negotiations right now, but we wish the ceasefire to come and to happen because the people there are very tired, they are exhausted."

Ismail says the family is shaken, recalling to CBC News how it had to handle the constant threat of being killed.

He admits that while he didn't want to leave, he did it for his children.

"I want them to go back to school, I want them to have the opportunity to learn," he said.

He says the family couldn't access any money in its bank accounts and how it had to ration water, so they could survive.

Now, in Canada, Ismail says the family is grateful, but still struggling.

"We been [in Gaza], we know everything that is happening. We have this image in our brain and it follows us like a nightmare," he said.

"There is a train just comes at night in this space, I can hear it, whenever it comes, whenever a plane just fly above this house, we are just like, 'oh my god, this is coming for us.'"

WATCH | Extended version ofAhmed Ismail speaking with CBC host Amy Dodge:

Ahmed Ismail moved to Ontario 6 weeks ago with his family and says it feels like they're living a double life

13 days ago

Duration 4:20

Where he's been able to find peace is by going on walks around his new neighbourhood with his wife and talking to people.

"When I walk ... this makes me very well, just like a therapy for me," he said, adding the community has been very supportive of them.

Ismail says they are in Canada on a three-year visitor visa. He says because of the requirements around this visa, he's not able to work in Canada, which is making it hard to provide for his family.

The Canadian government has set up temporary special measures for Palestinians who are fleeing Gaza, though people need to meet a set of requirements, especially if they are looking to work or study in the country.