Khaled Desouki Agence France-Presse Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly spoke on Saturday at the Cairo Summit for the peace.
Canada will send an additional $50 million in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas to help the most vulnerable civilians stuck in the middle of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday. Mélanie Joly.
During a speech at the Cairo Peace Summit in Egypt, the minister stressed that this sum will be added to that of 10 million dollars which had initially been announced by the Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, last week.
The money will be paid to different organizations, including some United Nations agencies, to help the region, Ms. Joly said.
“No part of this sum will go to Hamas,” she said. however hammered. The money will be used to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable civilians during this crisis. »
Approximately 430 Canadian nationals and their families have been stuck in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which was followed by retaliation by the Israeli army. Discussions are continuing on several fronts in order to be able to evacuate them.
On Saturday, a first convoy of humanitarian aid was able to be sent to the region, thanks to the temporary opening of a border crossing between the Egypt and Gaza. Minister Joly was happy to hear this news, but “it’s not enough,” she added.
Indeed, only 20 trucks were allowed in, a quantity considered insufficient to combat the unprecedented humanitarian crisis, according to aid workers deployed on the ground. More than 200 trucks carrying around 3,000 tons of humanitarian equipment have been positioned near the crossing point for days.
“We must allow rapid and unobstructed access for humanitarian aid in order to be able to offer “essential assistance to people in need”, pleaded Minister Joly.
“Even in times of crisis there are principles, and even in times of war there are rules. Canada supports the fact that at all times, all parties involved in a conflict must respect international humanitarian laws. »
The humanitarian situation has worsened in the last week in Gaza, where more than two million people live. People are forced to ration food and drink unsafe water, while hospitals report shortages of medical supplies and fuel.
Fears of a wider conflict
Also during her speech at the Cairo Peace Summit, Ms. Joly denounced Iran's support for Hamas, calling it “deeply disturbing.” She fears that this could have a snowball effect and contribute to spreading the conflict to other countries, which Canada wishes to avoid.
“We are seriously concerned by the actions taken by Iran and its allies aimed at destabilizing peace and security in the Middle East,” the minister said.
Furthermore, the head of Canadian diplomacy confirmed that the Canadian death toll remains at six dead and two people missing in connection with the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Overall, the clashes have cost the lives of more than 4,000 Palestinians and 1,400 people in Israel.
Canada continues to advocate a “two-state” solution, where a Palestinian state and a state of Israel coexist.
“Israeli and Palestinian civilians are equal and both must be protected. They deserve to be able to live in peace and security, with dignity, and without fear,” argued Minister Joly, echoing what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau supported on Friday.
“ The world and the region need a peaceful, secure, prosperous and viable Palestinian state, alongside a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and secure Israeli state,” Trudeau said on Friday at a conference of press held in Ontario.
— With information from the Associated Press