Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly gives a statement upon her arrival for bilateral meetings following the G7 Foreign Ministers summit at the historical city hall on November 4, 2022 in Muenster, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
The Canadian government said it is sending an additional $50 million to support the humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza, as the conflict continues between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Fighting broke out after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing civilians in airstrikes and on the ground, and taking about 200 hostages into Gaza.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes on targets in Gaza. It has also cut off the supply of food, water, and fuel it had been supplying to Gaza and said it will continue the siege until all hostages are freed by Hamas.
“The critical and immediate needs of civilians affected by the crisis become clearer with each day that goes by,” Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen said in a news release on Oct. 21.
The government said it will work to ensure that none of the funds end up in the hands of Hamas, but rather be used to provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, and other support.
“It is critical that Palestinian civilians in Gaza who need life-saving assistance receive it as soon as possible,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly said in the release.
The news comes as both ministers are visiting the area to take part in the “Cairo Peace Summit.”
Mr. Hussen and Ms. Joly will be in Egypt on Oct. 21 and 22.
Ms. Joly is also scheduled to meet with Canadian embassy staff in Cairo and discuss how to support Canadians in the area, including helping them leave the Gaza Strip.
Dozens of regional leaders and other Western officials will also attend the summit to discuss ways to reduce the fighting in the region.
Ms. Joly said the summit would be an opportunity for partners to address the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza.
“Canada unequivocally condemns the terrorist attack against Israel by Hamas and will continue to call on all parties to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law,” she said in the statement.
Canada has already contributed $10 million to the initial humanitarian assistance fund for the area, the government said.
It also said funding allocations of the money will be announced “in the near future.”
Previous Aid
Ottawa was already providing $55 million a year to “help meet the development and humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza,” Global Affairs Canada (GAC) spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod previously told The Epoch Times. Of that, $35 million was dedicated to humanitarian assistance, while $20 million was for development aid, Ms. MacLeod said.
Hamas rival Fatah rules the West Bank, which is not connected by land to the Gaza Strip.
Funds dedicated to development assistance are divided up among a variety of organizations, including Canadian Lutheran World Relief, Catholic Relief Services, Cowater International, Mercy Corps, UN Women, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Right to Play, according to Ms. MacLeod.
The organizations provide programs and support in different ways, including “addressing sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls,” GAC said.
There are also programs that help farmers and herders in the area with equipment, tools, and training.
Money sent for humanitarian assistance prior to Oct. 7 was dedicated to basic education, health, and social services for Palestinian refugees. The funds are distributed through organizations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the World Food Programme (WFP) within the United Nations, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Noé Chartier and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.