Canada adds $100 million in aid for Palestinians, urges Israel not to block delivery

Canada announced on Friday an additional C$100 million in assistance for Palestinians, bringing its total aid commitment to more than C$500 million. Foreign Minister Anita Anand said the money will go to the United Nations, the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and nongovernmental organizations delivering aid in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Anand said the increase was approved because of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank, alongside what she described as the expansion of Israeli settlement activity and rising violence by extremist settlers. The funding is meant to support emergency medical care, food, water, sanitation, shelter, and other services.

In her statement, Anand urged Israel to allow the transfer of aid without any restrictions and to fully respect international humanitarian law in the West Bank and Gaza. She also reiterated Canada’s support for a two-state solution, noted that Ottawa imposed sanctions on activists and organizations linked to extremist settler violence a few days earlier, and called for Hamas to be disarmed and for all sides to respect international law.