The Canadian Minister of Immigration, Mark Miller, announced on Thursday that Canada will implement a migration program starting January, allowing residents of the Gaza Strip with Canadian relatives to apply for a temporary visa.

The minister told journalists that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government would grant a temporary residence permit for three years to anyone wishing to leave the Gaza Strip with a family relationship to a Canadian citizen (spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, parent, or grandparent).

"We understand that many Canadians are concerned about the safety of their loved ones in Gaza, and for this reason, we are announcing temporary migration measures," he added, acknowledging that it is currently "extremely difficult to leave Gaza."

The minister reminded that "Canada does not specify when or how many people will be able to leave" through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the only gateway connecting the Palestinian territory to the rest of the world.