“The Lebanese people deserve to live in peace,” says Justin Trudeau

Photo: Arlyn McAdorey The Canadian Press Justin Trudeau expressed concern about the “devastating impact” of recent events on civilians in Lebanon.

The Canadian Press in Ottawa

Posted at 5:43 p.m.

• Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used a call Sunday with Lebanon’s interim Prime Minister Najib Mikati to reiterate that “the Lebanese people deserve to live in peace” and call for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

According to a summary of the conversation provided by the Prime Minister’s Office, Trudeau expressed concern about the “devastating impact” of recent events on civilians in Lebanon, where more than 1,000 people have been killed in the wake of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

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“The Lebanese people deserve to live in peace and security, and should not have to bear the consequences of the actions of Hezbollah, a terrorist organization,” Mr. Trudeau said in his call with Mr. Mikati, noting that the past few days have been trying for Canadians with family in Lebanon.

Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated nearly two weeks ago, when walkie-talkies and pagers used by Hezbollah exploded across Lebanon. The explosions sparked an intensification of airstrikes between the two sides.

In addition to the hundreds of deaths, tens of thousands of Lebanese have been forced to flee the south of the country, at the request of the Israeli army. The exchanges of fire have also forced evacuations in Israel.

According to the Lebanese Minister of Health, Israeli strikes have so far killed more than 1,030 people, including 156 women and 87 children, in less than two weeks.

Ceasefire request

In response to the intensification of the clashes, Canada and several of its allies called last week for a 21-day ceasefire. In his call with Lebanon's interim prime minister, Mr. Trudeau repeated this request.

“Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to continue working with the international community to advance peace in the region, as demonstrated by his call for an immediate 21-day ceasefire on the Lebanese-Israeli border,” reads a summary of the meeting between the two leaders.

On Saturday, Canada announced it would provide $10 million in humanitarian assistance to civilians in Lebanon. This funding will be in addition to the $10 million already allocated to the Lebanon crisis by the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, to which Canada is a donor.

With reporting from The Associated Press