Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a bold statement urging Israel to exercise maximum restraint in its ongoing war on Gaza, prompting a heated exchange with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. Trudeau’s remarks came during a news conference in British Columbia on Tuesday, where he denounced the “killing of women, of children, of babies” in the besieged Gaza Strip and called for an immediate end to the violence.
Netanyahu swiftly responded, blaming Hamas for civilian deaths and accusing them of committing atrocities against Jews. In a tweet directed at Trudeau, Netanyahu wrote, “It is not Israel that is deliberately targeting civilians but Hamas that beheaded, burned and massacred civilians in the worst horrors perpetrated on Jews since the Holocaust.” He further called for international support in defeating Hamas.
Trudeau’s comments mark his strongest criticism of Israel since the conflict in Gaza began over five weeks ago. While Canada has acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas, Trudeau expressed growing concern over the mounting death toll in the region. He emphasized that the suffering of Palestinian civilians cannot be the price for justice and called for an end to the violence on both sides.
Canada has been actively involved in the conflict, evacuating around 350 Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and their family members from Gaza. Trudeau also urged Hamas to release all hostages taken during their attack on southern Israel on October 7 and to stop using civilians as human shields. However, Netanyahu asserted that Israel is making efforts to protect civilians and accused Hamas of using hospitals as shields, despite international claims that such attacks should be investigated as war crimes.
Trudeau’s call for a significant humanitarian pause in the conflict last week aimed to allow for the release of hostages and the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza. However, the situation remains dire, with Israeli forces continuing their relentless bombardment and even raiding hospitals like al-Shifa, where thousands of patients and displaced Palestinians, including premature babies, are trapped.
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, with Trudeau’s remarks drawing attention to the ongoing violence. As the death toll rises and the suffering of civilians escalates, pressure mounts for a resolution to the conflict and for accountability for any potential war crimes committed.
It remains to be seen how Trudeau’s stance will impact Canada’s relationship with Israel and its involvement in the conflict. As the world watches, the hope for a peaceful resolution and an end to the loss of innocent lives persists.
