Ottawa – Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, recently travelled to Jordan, where he attended an international conference on June 11, 2024. The conference, Call for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza, was organized by Jordan, Egypt and the United Nations.
At the conference, Minister Hussen reiterated Canada’s unwavering commitment to helping Palestinian civilians receive the life-saving assistance they desperately need, including through the $165 million in international assistance funding that Canada has committed since October 2023. Canada was the first western donor and is one of the top donors in the world to the humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas, a listed terrorist organization, for its attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Canada fully supports the comprehensive deal that would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and a significant and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance for distribution throughout Gaza, as outlined by U.S. President Joe Biden. Canada calls on all parties to accept the deal.
While at the conference, Minister Hussen also discussed the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, which must be accompanied by a political framework that is grounded in the 2-state solution. He emphasized the urgent need to scale up assistance to vulnerable Palestinians, underscoring the importance of having reliable entry points for delivering supplies into Gaza, as well as the vital role of the Jordanian Humanitarian Corridor. He also shared concerns about obstacles related to access and the distribution of assistance that Canada’s humanitarian partners are facing in Gaza. International humanitarian law must be upheld by all parties to the conflict. Humanitarian workers, medical staff members and their facilities must be respected and protected.
“The situation in Gaza is dire, and Canada is actively pursuing all avenues to provide humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent civilians, especially women and children. We have joined international partners to discuss urgently needed solutions for the crisis faced by the people of Gaza. We urge all parties to accept the proposed deal that would lead to an immediate ceasefire, release all hostages and facilitate the rapid, safe and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief in accordance with international humanitarian law.” – Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development