Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urges Israel to relinquish control over Gaza humanitarian aid
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has strongly condemned Israel’s control over humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, calling it a violation of international law and urging international organizations to take full responsibility for aid delivery.
Speaking late Thursday night, Carney criticized what he described as Israel’s obstruction of essential humanitarian assistance to the besieged Gaza Strip. “Canada condemns the Israeli government’s failure to prevent the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster in Gaza,” he said, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
Carney emphasized that “Israel’s control of aid distribution must be replaced by comprehensive provision of humanitarian assistance led by international organizations.” He noted that many aid shipments, including those funded by Canada, remain blocked from reaching civilians in dire need. “This denial of humanitarian aid is a violation of international law,” Carney added.
Currently, humanitarian aid in Gaza is distributed primarily through efforts led by the United Nations and the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates under Israeli security oversight. However, Israeli restrictions, border delays, and security measures have severely hampered aid flow. Reports of Palestinians being killed at aid points have further exacerbated the crisis.
Carney’s remarks come amid heightened international tensions over the Gaza conflict. Just hours earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron announced France’s intention to formally recognize Palestinian statehood at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, a move condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “reward for terror” and criticized by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “reckless.”
The Gaza conflict, ongoing for nearly two years, erupted after a deadly Hamas attack in October 2023 that killed over 1,000 Israelis. Israel’s military retaliation has resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
In addition to addressing aid concerns, Carney reiterated Canada’s call for an immediate ceasefire and urged Hamas to release hostages taken during the initial attacks. He also urged Israel to respect the territorial integrity of the West Bank and Gaza.
“Canada will work intensively in all fora to further that end, including through the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the UN High-Level Conference on a Two-State Solution in New York next week,” Carney affirmed.
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