December 12th, 2023 – Islamic Relief Canada welcomes Canada’s support for a ceasefire in Gaza. This afternoon, the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand issued a joint statement calling for a “sustained ceasefire” in Gaza. Just hours later, Canada voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for humanitarian ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and the immediate and release of hostages.
Islamic Relief Canada is pleased to see Canada finally join the international chorus of nations, institutions and organizations calling for an immediate ceasefire. Since the recent outbreak of violence, Islamic Relief has consistently urged the Canadian government to call for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. Over the past two months, nearly 200,000 Canadians have supported these calls to action through our Access to Aid campaign.
Islamic Relief Canada CEO Usama Khan shares, “Today is a step forward for humanity – but there is much still to do. Canada has an international legal obligation to prevent atrocity crimes – including war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.
Canada must pursue all diplomatic channels to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza. Without a permanent ceasefire, it will remain nearly impossible to provide humanitarian assistance to millions of Palestinians who are suffering, facing starvation, dehydration, and imminent death.
At the same time, Canada must continue to support a rules-based international order and pursue all avenues for international justice. We must collectively condemn the atrocities taking place and hold perpetrators of violence accountable for their crimes.”
Islamic Relief Canada welcomes Canada’s calls for a ceasefire and Minister Joly’s support for an “accountability system” to investigate Israeli military conduct. We continue to implore the Canadian government to uphold its international obligations to do everything within its means to uphold international law and civilian rights and prevent further crimes from being committed.
International lawyers and U.N. experts have sounded the alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, ethnic cleansing and “genocide in the making” in Gaza. Over 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza — 70 percent of whom are women and children. More than 49,000 people have been injured and 1.75 million of the 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip are internally displaced. On average, one child is killed every ten minutes in Gaza, which according to the UN Secretary-General, has become a “graveyard for children.”
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About Islamic Relief Canada
Islamic Relief Canada is a registered charity in Canada and a prominent Muslim NGO that works in more than 40 countries to provide humanitarian