Prime Minister Mark Carney accused Israel of violating international law for withholding humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and said the country should let international organizations do the distribution.
Israel in recent weeks has implemented a stricter aid distribution model seeking to prevent Hamas from hijacking shipments. There have been many chaotic scenes and casualties around the distribution points of late.
“Israel’s control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations,” said the prime minister. He added that many of these organizations hold “significant” humanitarian aid funded by the Canadian government which he said has been “blocked from delivery to starving civilians.”
Israel has blamed the United Nations for not delivering humanitarian aid. It brought reporters this week to the Kerem Shalom crossing in the Gaza Strip to show pallets of supplies.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said a number of factors impede aid delivery such as “bureaucratic, logistical, administrative and other operational obstacles imposed by Israeli authorities; ongoing hostilities and access constraints within Gaza; and incidents of criminal looting.” He also said there have been more shooting incidents that have killed and injured people gathering to offload aid supplies along convoy routes, complicating delivery.
Along with saying Canada condemns Israel for not preventing a humanitarian crisis, Carney also called for an immediate ceasefire, for Hamas to release all hostages, and for Israel to respect the territorial integrity of Gaza and the West Bank.
Israel has been conducting military operations inside the Gaza Strip since October 2023 to eliminate Hamas, after the terrorist group conducted raids and kidnappings inside Israel.
Talks for a ceasefire fell through on July 24, with the United States and Israel blaming Hamas and pulling back their negotiators.
Hamas said it was surprised by Witkoff’s remarks and remained keen to continue negotiations.
Carney also said Canada would work “intensively in all fora” to bring a two-state solutions for Israel and Palestine.
There was development on that front this week with French President Emmanuel Macron saying his country will recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September. France would become the first G7 country to do so. About 75 percent of UN member states recognize Palestine.
The move was condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.”
