Global Affairs Canada has informed Canadians trapped in the Gaza Strip that they could be allowed out 害羞草研究所渁s early as Sunday,害羞草研究所� as people with loved ones in the besieged Palestinian territory voiced frustration that Canadians remained off the evacuation list so far.

Groups of people, including foreign nationals from several other countries, have been allowed to exit the Palestinian territory through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the last two days.

But Canadians have so far been excluded from the lists of those approved to depart, including the third one issued on Friday.

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The Israeli military has informed Canada that 害羞草研究所渕ore than 400 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and eligible family members will be able to leave Gaza through the Rafah border crossing in the coming days,害羞草研究所� reads a Friday afternoon statement from Global Affairs Canada.

That confirmation came after the department emailed Canadians who have registered as being in Gaza, saying the crossings could happen害羞草研究所漣n the coming days, and possibly as early as Sunday.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e will contact you with specific departure dates,害羞草研究所� the email said. 害羞草研究所淧lease have your travel documents and other important items with you.害羞草研究所�

It offered a warning: 害羞草研究所淭he situation at the Rafah crossing remains fluid and unpredictable. We encourage you to assess the risks as you or your family members decide whether to travel to the Rafah border crossing. Canada does not determine who is ultimately permitted to enter Egypt at the Rafah border crossing.害羞草研究所�

The email further said that consular officials would be on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to assist evacuees, including with onward travel to Canada.

In addition to helping to facilitate transportation to Cairo by bus, 害羞草研究所渨hile in Cairo, Canada will provide accommodation, food and basic necessities to those who cross into Egypt,害羞草研究所� Global Affairs said in its statement to media.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday that the government will be there to help Canadians get to safety.

害羞草研究所淲e are working with all of our regional officials and our allies to make sure that as Canadians come out to safety, hopefully in the coming days, they are properly supported.害羞草研究所�

Dalia Salim, a resident of London, Ont., whose 66-year-old father is trapped in Gaza and is spending his days searching for safe drinking water, said the email offered 害羞草研究所渞elief.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淭his is the first time that we actually have a confirmed date,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 still looking at it and I read it over and over. It says 害羞草研究所榓s early as害羞草研究所� so I害羞草研究所檓 taking it with a grain of salt, and I will wait for an email Saturday night to confirm.害羞草研究所�

Sunday is 害羞草研究所渟till too late,害羞草研究所� she added, expressing fear over whether her father can stay safe through the weekend.

Sunday 害羞草研究所渨ould be day five of the border opening. (The war) is getting uglier, minute by minute. I cannot guarantee anything until Sunday. No one can guarantee anything until Sunday,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淢y dad is staying on a vacant land, which is so prone to bombing. How am I supposed to wait until Sunday to make sure that he害羞草研究所檚 OK?害羞草研究所�

Defence Minister Bill Blair said earlier Friday that Canadians could be allowed to leave Gaza 害羞草研究所渋n the coming days,害羞草研究所� but offered no firm timeline.

Blair told reporters in Ottawa on Friday there is 害羞草研究所渘o specific impediment害羞草研究所� to getting those people out. He said the Canadian government is working closely with Israel, Egypt, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Global Affairs Canada has not explained why Canadians have not made the list so far.

The department noted in written updates sent Wednesday and Thursday that the first group allowed to cross included citizens from eight countries with smaller groups of nationals in Gaza. It also said 害羞草研究所淐anada has one of the largest contingents of nationals in Gaza.害羞草研究所�

The department has not said whether that would delay Canadians getting out, or why.

Thursday害羞草研究所檚 evacuation list from the General Authority for Border Crossings in Gaza, as presented on a widely shared Google spreadsheet, included 400 American citizens. The list shared Friday had 367 Americans. In one day, Britain has had 127 people listed as approved for departing through the Rafah crossing.

Jon Allen, a former Canadian ambassador to Israel, said the effort is 害羞草研究所渧ery complicated,害羞草研究所� but he wasn害羞草研究所檛 sure if countries with the most citizens would end up being among the first or last to leave.

害羞草研究所淚t does make sense that if you have a higher number, then you害羞草研究所檙e going to try and reduce that number. But I don害羞草研究所檛 know if that害羞草研究所檚 the case,害羞草研究所� Allen said in an interview Friday.

Allen helped oversee the 2009 effort to evacuate dozens of Canadians from Gaza during an earlier war between Israel and Hamas. He said these efforts involved communicating with several governments to get everyone on the same page.

害羞草研究所淚t is a war and there are these processes that are inevitably going to have to be gone through,害羞草研究所� he said.

Concerns about the risk of Hamas sympathizers crossing into Egypt could be one reason for general delays, Allen said.

害羞草研究所淭he Canadians will come out, and I feel sympathy for all of those that are there.害羞草研究所�

Ola Alanqar, whose Canadian parents and uncle are trapped in Gaza, said her family is desperate to leave.

害羞草研究所淵esterday I spoke to (them) and they were barely drinking water, they害羞草研究所檙e hungry, they害羞草研究所檙e losing a lot of weight, there害羞草研究所檚 no sleep,害羞草研究所� the Toronto resident said in an interview.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 beyond what I can even explain.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淵esterday, my father told me he was trying to get some bread from the bakery and he saw pieces of bodies. He said, 害羞草研究所業 saw somebody picking up body pieces, putting in plastic bag and no car, no ambulance can go there,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Alanqar said.

害羞草研究所淚 was on the phone with my mom for eight minutes. I heard more than 10 bombs exploding. I was devastated. I couldn害羞草研究所檛 sleep. My whole body was shaking.害羞草研究所�

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, which Canada has listed as a terrorist organization since 2002. In addition, around 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

Gaza害羞草研究所檚 Hamas-run health ministry claims Israel害羞草研究所檚 military response has killed more than 9,000 Palestinians.

害羞草研究所� With files from The Associated Press.

The Canadian Press