Two Canadians slain in Lebanon were attempting to escape when bombs struck, according to their son: "They were not part of this conflict"

The son of two Canadians killed in Lebanon has revealed that his parents were trapped in traffic for hours while trying to escape the growing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, before their vehicle was destroyed in a bombing.

Kamal Tabaja, speaking from Bahrain, said his parents, Hussein and Daad Tabaja, aged 75 and 70, lost their lives while attempting to flee their village in southern Lebanon's Nabatieh district.

“We lost contact with them on Monday while they were stuck in traffic, trying to get from our village to Beirut,” Kamal explained.

The couple, parents to six children, had been in traffic for six to seven hours. At one point, communication with them stopped.

“We thought maybe their phones had died,” Kamal said.

However, Kamal later learned about an Israeli bomb strike in the area.

Kamal’s brother, who lives in Lebanon, began to search for information about their parents.

“There was a bombing that night around 7:30 to 8 p.m.,” Kamal said. “I called my brother and said, ‘This doesn’t feel right. You need to go check at the hospital.'”

His brother visited the hospital, and the news was devastating.

“They confirmed there had been a bombing and that bodies, or parts of them, had been recovered. He showed them a picture of the car, but the license plate was too burnt to be recognizable.”

Later, Kamal’s brother was able to identify the vehicle through the engraving on the license plate. His mother’s watch was also found in the wreckage.

“They went back to the hospital and were shown some remains… but there’s no way to recognize anything.”

Although DNA testing is being conducted on the body parts, Kamal believes it’s merely a formality.

“Sadly, that’s the end of two angels, hard-working and caring. The amount of messages, calls, and support we’ve received is overwhelming.”

Family's Move to Ottawa

Kamal shared that his father was a teacher and senior manager at the Beirut airport before the family relocated to Ottawa in the late 1980s to escape the Lebanese civil war.

“My father decided it was time to give us a better life. Like many other refugees, we left Lebanon and came to Canada in 1989,” he recalled.

A few years later, they became Canadian citizens.

“Ottawa has always been our home,” Kamal said.

He described his parents as “hardworking people” who gave their children more than they could afford. “They deprived themselves of many things for us,” he added.

“They were always there for anyone who needed help.”

In 2003, the couple returned to Lebanon to be near ill family members. They visited Canada regularly, but those trips became less frequent as they grew older, Kamal noted.

Global Affairs Canada Urges Canadians to Leave Lebanon

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada confirmed the deaths of two Canadians and urged all citizens to leave Lebanon.

“The Government of Canada continues to prioritize the safety and security of Canadians. That’s why we reiterate that Canadians should leave now while the airport is still operational and commercial flights are available.

“Canada is not currently providing assisted departures or evacuations for Canadians in Lebanon, and there is no guarantee the Canadian government will evacuate citizens during a crisis. Canadians should not depend on the government for assisted departure or evacuation.”

Several Members of Parliament have called for the government to evacuate Canadian citizens from Lebanon. Global Affairs Canada has emphasized that evacuations are a “last resort” when commercial options are no longer available.

‘They Were Not Part of This Conflict’

Kamal expressed disappointment with the Canadian government for not condemning the bombings more forcefully.

“They talk about de-escalation. What does that even mean? There’s a difference between de-escalation and condemnation, and I’m disappointed,” he said.

On Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, condemned the killing of Kamal’s parents, describing them as “innocent people.”

“We will not let civilians bear the cost of this conflict,” she said.

As reports of the escalating violence continue to emerge, Kamal said his parents are examples of innocent people caught in the middle.

“My parents were just on the road. They had nothing to do with this conflict. They were peaceful people, but they still got bombed.”

He is heartbroken that his parents, married since 1976, didn’t get to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

“It’s taken some time to accept what happened,” Kamal said of their deaths. “I know they’re watching over us.”