MSF welcomes Canada’s opposition to Israel’s siege in Gaza
“Anything short of full moral outrage is unacceptable. Canada’s statements this week are a good start.”
This week, the Canadian Government made two statements in strong opposition to Israel’s military operations and siege in Gaza.
These statements include a joint declaration by Prime Minister Mark Carney and leaders of the United Kingdom and France reaffirming what we at Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) already know first-hand from our teams providing emergency medical care inside Gaza: that “the level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable.” Canada’s statements call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the end of Israel’s blockade on humanitarian assistance, and the release of all hostages held by Hamas. Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand also joined the foreign ministers of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and representatives of the European Union to call on Israel’s Government to allow a full resumption of humanitarian assistance into Gaza immediately.
These statements come at a time when MSF warns that Gaza has become “hell on earth” for Palestinians. Although Israel recently announced that it will begin to allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza, MSF teams in Gaza report that the amount of supplies permitted remains “ridiculously inadequate” – merely a smokescreen to pretend the siege is over. On May 19 – the same day that the above statements were issued – MSF teams reported hearing almost one strike per minute in Khan Younis. One of these strikes hit Nasser hospital compound, 100 metres away from the intensive care unit and the inpatient department that are run by MSF.
Sana Bég, Executive Director for MSF Canada, made the following statement:
“We welcome the Canadian Government’s statements strongly opposing Israel’s ongoing military escalation and siege in Gaza, which has already caused immense suffering. It is important and necessary for Canada to use its voice as a global humanitarian leader and donor to unequivocally reject Israel’s attacks on civilians, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance in Gaza as a matter of extreme urgency. What MSF teams are witnessing in Gaza represents a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which calls for the protection of civilians, aid workers and health infrastructure in war zones – so it is imperative that Canada use its voice to reject Israel’s indiscriminate attacks and total annihilation of Gaza’s healthcare system.
These words carry weight and demonstrate the kind of moral courage the world desperately needs in this pivotal moment.
Since the start of March, Israel’s blockade on humanitarian assistance has pushed almost all of Gaza’s population of 2.1 million people to the brink of starvation. The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported recently that Gaza is at critical risk of famine throughout the Strip. Even with Israel’s recent lift on humanitarian assistance, aid continues to be instrumentalized and trickle in at completely insufficient amounts to reach the levels people need in Gaza.
As Gaza is being deliberately asphyxiated by Israeli forces, anything short of full moral outrage is unacceptable.
Sana Bég, Executive director for MSF Canada
MSF works in three hospitals and six primary health care centers in Gaza, and our teams are actively impacted by Israel’s ongoing war and siege. Without more fuel entering the Gaza Strip to power the generators we use in our operations, our ability to provide lifesaving care is at risk. Without more medical supplies, our teams will be unable to provide essential treatment to our patients or provide pain medications while carrying out lifesaving but excruciating procedures. Without basic guarantees that IHL will be upheld, MSF staff and local health workers in Gaza will continue to be needlessly killed and mourned.
Canada and its allies must now turn these words into action – using their full diplomatic, economic and political weight – to usher in a ceasefire now. To do so, Canada must use all its leverage to pressure Israel to abide by IHL and be held accountable for its violations. As the host of this year’s G7 leader’s summit, Canada must also push its fellow G7 governments representing the world’s most powerful democracies to commit to restoring humanity in Gaza, including by fiercely defending IHL as a priority.
As Gaza is being deliberately asphyxiated by Israeli forces, anything short of full moral outrage is unacceptable. Canada’s statements this week are a good start. Its allies, and the world, must follow through to stand up for a ceasefire now.”
