Canada’s Defence Minister is providing an update on efforts to get Canadians out of the Middle East.

Bill Blair says they have been connecting two assisted departure flights from Israel to Athens each day. As of yesterday, ten flights carrying around 1,200 passengers have arrived in Greece.

Efforts continue to get people out of Gaza and the West Bank, Blair says, as they are looking at all options to facilitate a route for escape between Gaza and Egypt via the Rafah border crossing. Twenty-one Canadians have made it to Jordan from the West Bank, and assisted departures from that region will continue.

He says they must allow rapid humanitarian relief to Palestinians in Gaza and is calling on all parties to follow international law.