Canada backs ‘humanitarian pauses’ in conflict to get aid into Gaza Strip

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that Canada backs “humanitarian pauses” in the Israel-Hamas war to allow much-needed aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip.

“There’s a lot of conversations going on now about the need for humanitarian pauses, and I think that’s something that Canada supports,” Trudeau told reporters on his way to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly echoed those sentiments and added the pause would also allow Canadians to get out of Gaza to safety.

“We need more humanitarian aid entering Gaza, and for Canadians to be able to exit,” Joly wrote on X, Tuesday. “For this reason, we are calling for humanitarian pauses on hostilities to be considered.”

She said whether Israeli or Palestinian, “a civilian is a civilian” and deserves to receive humanitarian aid.

Another Canadian Cabinet minister, Deputy-Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, weighed in on the conflict and said Canada would not be providing military aid to Israel. Rather, she said Canada is zeroed in on humanitarian aid, “that is consistent with … the long-standing role that Canada has played” in world affairs.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen added to the chorus Tuesday and said Canada would support “whatever it takes” to get more aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

A third convoy of aid trucks arrived in Gaza Monday, crossing from Egypt, as reported by Anadolu, and delivered water, food and medicine.

But the UN said fuel was not included and supplies were dangerously low.

Israel has continued a relentless bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israeli border towns on Oct. 7 that killed 1,400 Israelis.

Nearly 5,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the bombardment began, including more than 2,000 children, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.