Five Canadians are confirmed to have been killed in the conflict in the Middle East and three more are missing.

The Department of Global Affairs officials released an update on the situation in a technical briefing this afternoon.

Assisted flights between Tel Aviv and Athens are continuing to run smoothly, with upwards of 1,000 passengers having left Israel on Canadian flights bound for Greece.

However, departures from the Gaza and West Bank areas are still facing challenges, according to Assistant Deputy Minister for Global Affairs Canada, Julie Sunday. Around 300 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and family members have reached out for help in the Gaza Strip.

She says they were hoping to have an opening yesterday through Rafah, but that did not materialize.

Sunday says they remain in constant communication with allies, the UN, and governments in the area to try and facilitate a safe path for extraction. She says it has gotten increasingly challenging to contact those in the Gaze Strip, as electricity and telecommunications are down.

As for those in the West Bank territory, Sunday says 250 Canadians may be able to leave by bus next week.