US, Canada embassies urge citizens to leave Beirut after Gaza massacre
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The US embassy in Beirut modifies its Travel Advisory to Level 4, meaning a "Do Not Travel" category.
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Bodies of Palestinians killed by an air strike at the al-Ahli Arab hospital are gathered at the front yard of the al-Shifa hospital, in Gaza City, central Gaza Strip on October 17, 2023. (AP)
Hours following the Israeli massacre of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza last night, the US and the Canadian embassies have sent out emails and notifications to their citizens in Lebanon, requesting them to leave Lebanon "while commercial flights are still available".
🚨 We have updated our Travel Advisory for Lebanon to Level 4: Do Not Travel.
— U.S. Embassy Beirut (@usembassybeirut) October 18, 2023
We urge U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon. We recommend that U.S. citizens in Lebanon make appropriate arrangements to leave the country; commercial options currently remain available. We…
In an email, the US embassy in Beirut sent out an email to its citizens that the "unpredictable security situation" will not "impact the operations" of the embassy itself and that it updated its Travel Advisory to Level 4 which is a "Do Not Travel" category.
The Canadian embassy
As for the Canadian embassy in Beirut, they called the situation "volatile and unpredictable", adding that "If you are already there [in Lebanon], you should consider leaving while commercial options remain available."
Avoid non-essential travel to #Lebanon, especially near the border with #Israel. If armed conflict intensifies, our ability to provide consular services may be limited. Consider whether you really need to be there. https://t.co/ZmdBCyQwUC pic.twitter.com/DSkS3vlVXl
— Travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) October 13, 2023
This comes after Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced a similar statement both on X and in an interview a few days ago.
We have updated our travel advice for Lebanon.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) October 14, 2023
Avoid all travel south of the Litani River. If you are currently in Lebanon, please register and continue to follow all travel advice. https://t.co/YjxBjqDCGy
Other diplomats and ambassadors, such as Australian ambassador to Lebanon Andrew Barnes, posted on X to tell citizens to reconsider staying in Lebanon if they are in the country.
إذا كنتم في لبنان، عليكم تقدير اذا كانت حاجتكم للبقاء فيه أساسية.
— Andrew Barnes 🇦🇺🇱🇧 (@SafirAustralia) October 15, 2023
إذا كنتم ترغبون في المغادرة، فاعلموا أن أزمةً قد تحد من الطيران المدني. يجب أن تفكروا في الخيارات المتاحة لكم.
ستكون قدرة الحكومة الأسترالية على مساعدتكم للمغادرة محدودة للغاية في أوقات الأزمات. https://t.co/576WfFFQbW
The embassy calls came after the massacre of the Baptist Hospital left more than 800 martyrs, and the majority were children.
The Israeli occupation forces bombed the Palestinian Hospital on Tuesday amid scarce medical supplies in the already suffering Gazan hospitals.
The Government Media Office: #Israel committed a war crime, targeting the courtyard of the Baptist Hospital.
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 17, 2023
Hundreds of displaced Gazans had been taking shelter in the courtyard of the hospital thinking that it would be safe because it is a hospital sponsored by Christian… pic.twitter.com/PiZin8jqDH
Some Israeli and pro-Israeli accounts claimed it was a failed resistance launch in a weak attempt to shift the blame off of the Israeli occupation and demonize the resistance factions.
The Israeli occupation deliberately bombed Al-Maamadani Hospital in the #Gaza Strip with the death toll expected to reach over 800 #Palestinians.#GazaUnderAttack #المستشفى_المعمداني pic.twitter.com/73mHZsgBBX
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 17, 2023
Despite that, Israeli occupation warplanes continued to bombard various areas in the Gaza Strip for 12 consecutive days amid water, electricity, and food shortages and a collapse in the medical sector.
US President Joe Biden is already on his way to "Tel Aviv" for another show of support for "Israel" mere hours after the massacre. He was expected to meet with Jordanian King Abdullah II alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but that meeting was canceled hours ago.
According to AP, Biden released a statement aboard Air Force One on his way to "Israel" that he was “outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza and the terrible loss of life as a result.”
