Ottawa, The Europe Today – August 5, 2025: Canada announced on Monday that it had airdropped 10 tons of humanitarian aid into Gaza, citing unprecedented humanitarian needs and accusing the Israeli government of violating international humanitarian law by obstructing the delivery of life-saving assistance.
In a joint statement, Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Defense Minister David McGuinty said Canada took this extraordinary step in coordination with international partners, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Germany, and Belgium, as part of an emergency effort to reach civilians trapped in the war-torn enclave.
“Canada is taking these exceptional measures with our international partners as access to humanitarian aid in Gaza is severely restricted and humanitarian needs have reached an unprecedented level,” the ministers stated.
The Canadian government condemned Israel’s ongoing restrictions on aid delivery, asserting that such actions constitute a breach of international humanitarian law and must end immediately.
“Despite the scale of need, humanitarian partners face severe challenges in delivering life-saving food and medical assistance by land due to ongoing restrictions imposed by the Israeli government,” the statement added.
Canada’s demands include:
- Safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations,
- Opening of all border crossings into Gaza,
- Rapid customs clearance approvals for aid shipments,
- Issuance of long-term visas for humanitarian workers.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a post on social media platform X that Canada was among six countries that participated in the latest round of aid deliveries.
Canadian officials described conditions in Gaza as “deplorable”, warning that a dramatic scale-up in humanitarian assistance is now essential to prevent further loss of life and to ease the suffering of civilians.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has carried out a relentless military offensive on Gaza, killing nearly 61,000 Palestinians, almost half of whom are women and children, according to local and international sources. The bombardment has devastated infrastructure and pushed the enclave to the brink of famine.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.
Additionally, Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its military operations in the enclave, a legal proceeding initiated by South Africa and supported by several nations.
Canada’s strong language and urgent actions reflect growing international frustration over Israel’s continued defiance of global calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access. The government’s move signals an intensifying shift in Ottawa’s position, aligning more closely with global humanitarian and legal norms in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
