Canada Must Act NOW to Stop Israeli War Crimes in Northern Gaza
Dear Prime Minister,
We, the undersigned humanitarian, religious, community and civil society organizations from all over Canada, express profound alarm at the rapidly worsening situation in northern Gaza. Civilians are being burned alive in an ongoing campaign of violence that has reached unimaginable levels of brutality.
The humanitarian infrastructure has completely collapsed – no clean water is available, with 37 water and sanitation facilities destroyed and more than 220 severely damaged. Waterborne diseases are spreading rapidly, endangering children’s lives disproportionately. Israeli airstrikes continue to indiscriminately target civilian shelters, including a UN school where at least 20 people were killed, and an aid distribution center in Jabalia where 10 others lost their lives. The siege has already pushed the death toll to over 42,000, a systematic decimation of Palestinian communities. A recent Israeli airstrike on a hospital tent camp has further exacerbated the crisis, resulting in significant casualties and trapping thousands in dire conditions, while the ongoing siege relentlessly claims more lives and deepens the humanitarian catastrophe.
Canada cannot remain a passive observer as these atrocities unfold. The time to act is now, to hold Israel accountable and safeguard the lives of innocent civilians. In light of the severe and escalating violence in northern Gaza, we call for the following immediate actions:
- Issue an unequivocal condemnation of Israel’s military assault on northern Gaza, denouncing the deliberate targeting of schools, shelters, and critical infrastructure, including water and sanitation facilities. Civilians are being burned alive, children are being killed in their classrooms, and families are being massacred in UN shelters. This inhumane violence demands an unreserved and immediate condemnation.
- Expel the Israeli ambassador from Canada as a direct and uncompromising diplomatic response to the egregious human rights violations and the continued targeting of civilians in northern Gaza. This decisive action will signal that Canada does not tolerate the systematic slaughter of innocent civilians and the destruction of vital infrastructure.
- Impose sanctions on Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officials directly involved in the genocide, for their ongoing and blatant violations of international law, targeting of civilians and destruction of essential infrastructure.
Canada must act without delay. Inaction in the face of genocide is complicity. We urge you to take immediate action to stop the atrocities in northern Gaza, and to uphold Canada’s commitment to human rights. Anything less will be seen as a moral failure in confronting one of the gravest crises of our time. •
For complete list of signatories, see CMPAC website.
