Newly named Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Wednesday accused Israel of lack of food as a political tool in Gaza operations and urged Hamas, a militant group that controls the Palestinian enclave, to do further work on the ceasefire.
Israel has blocked the Gaza Strip since early March and resumed its military campaign against Hamas after a ceasefire agreement collapsed, during which thousands of aid trucks entered the enclave.
The World Health Organization warns that the risk of famine and mass hunger in Gaza is rising. Palestinian health officials said dozens of children have died of malnutrition since March and Israel has blocked all aid shipments.
“We cannot continue to use food as a political tool … More than 50,000 people died from aggression against Palestinians and Palestinian Gaza. Using food as a political tool is unacceptable,” Anand told reporters before the cabinet meeting.
“We need to continue working for the ceasefire. We need to make sure we have a two-state solution and Canada will continue to maintain that position.”
According to local health officials, the Israeli campaign killed more than 52,900 Palestinians. Aid organizations and international agencies say it puts Gaza on the verge of extinction.
Israel denies the risk of famine and accuses Hamas of causing hunger by stealing aid to civilians.
Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Anand to her new position on Tuesday. She replaced Mélanie Joly, who had been working for more than three years.
According to the Israeli Bureau of Statistics, Israel attacked Gaza in retaliation against Hamas-led attacks in southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, with about 1,200 people killed and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza.
