Canada to pull children of diplomats out of Israel, says foreign ministry

Canada decided to pull the children of its diplomats and their guardians out of Israel on Wednesday amid fears of a widened conflict in the Middle East, the Canadian foreign ministry said.

Israel's tensions with Iran and Hezbollah have fanned fears of a broader conflict in a region already on edge amid Israel's assault on Gaza which has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis, including widespread hunger.

There has been an increased risk of escalation into a broader Middle East war after the killings of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut drew threats of retaliation against Israel.

The foreign ministry, in a statement on Thursday, said it had approved temporarily relocating the diplomats' children and their guardians to a safe third country. It added that diplomats stationed in Ramallah in the West Bank and in Beirut do not have dependents living with them.